Something to Live For
by britt-lipy
Summary: Chapter 13 Uploaded DeAndry Harris in her last year at Hogwarts finds trouble, mostly in Snape. But can she keep it from her friends? SnapeOriginal Character
1. Start With a Bang

WARNING: This story is rated R (just to be safe) for language and sexual content.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Potterverse characters. They are owned by JK Rowling.  
  
DeAndry Harris, along with the story, though, are mine. Read but do not hurt.  
  
Timeline: During POA  
  
Ok, this is the first part of a two part story ('Something to Live For' and 'Something to Die For') that I started a very long time ago and I've been working on ever since. I have the span of the entire story in bits and pieces (about 68 pages total), so I just need to fill in the holes. (Sorry, I have this really abstract way of writing, I don't go chronologically I just sort of write in spurts It drives Kelly insane. Sorry Bean.) Anyway, I was suddenly inspired to finish it and put it here. I'm going to be finishing it over the next little while (I hope) and get it all posted here.  
  
Anyway, enough of that mumbo jumbo crap, I hope you like! And please review!!!  
  
* * *  
  
The year was just beginning and already DeAndry Harris was bored. She sat in the cold, dark dungeon classroom wishing she were back in her Gryffindor house dormitory or even at home.  
  
Every so often, DeAndry's green eyes would glance up at the front of the room where the Potions Professor was describing the current potion assignment, but not paying attention. It was nothing to get excited over, even with Professor Snape's infamous record of scaring the wits out of students, especially those out of line. She yawned.  
  
The Professor's wiles no longer had much effect on her; she never worried about his sarcasm or sadism. It had long ago worn its effectiveness. At seventeen, she had spent six years at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry for her quietly kept telepathic abilities and talents of a young witch, and this was her last year. Everything seemed old hat, which made plausible large amounts of naughtiness.  
  
DeAndry grinned as she thought about putting heads together with the mischievous Weasley twins again. The summer had been too long without her red headed friends, George and Fred. Running her fingers through her long black- crimson streaked hair, she set her mind wandering to plan the first way to get herself in trouble, but she didn't have to plan long.  
  
"Miss Harris!" Professor Snape's voice cut straight through DeAndry's daydream.  
  
"Huh? I-I-I mean, yes Sir?"  
  
"Welcome back to the real world," Snape said slyly. "Now, if you're not too wrapped up with your fictional vacation, I would be most appreciative if you would finish the potion I was conjuring up front."  
  
DeAndry sighed. Wiggling her womanly figure from behind her desk, she made her way to the silver cauldron in the front of the room. Once she stood facing the crimson metallic liquid, she realized she had no idea what Professor Snape was conjuring. She hadn't been paying attention. Taking a moment to think, she decided a little mind reading couldn't hurt. She quickly tapped into Snape's mind.  
  
"She'll never remember to put the phoenix feather dust in. There was no way she was paying attention."  
  
Satisfied with what she found, she grabbed the bottle with the phoenix feather dust in it. Just before she pored the sparkly grains into the cauldron, she noticed a smile form on Snape's face out of the corner of her eye. But it was too late. She had dumped the dust into the mix.  
  
The liquid reacted quickly causing a large black puff of smoke to billow out of the cauldron and thoroughly cover DeAndry's face with black soot. The class erupted with laughter as DeAndry stood, black faced, furious, and completely embarrassed. Snape's smile widened.  
  
"As Miss Harris has so kindly demonstrated, incompetence and lack of attentiveness are not tolerated here. Let Miss Harris' display make an example of what not to do."  
  
"Ass hole," DeAndry said under her breath.  
  
"What did you say Miss Harris?" Snape asked pointedly, looking up at his pupil and knowing full well what she had called him.  
  
The class hushed immediately, waiting for her response.  
  
DeAndry sighed. She was receiving the highest points in the class and she didn't think anything she said could bring her marks to a failing level. So, she drew a breath and repeated her insult.  
  
"I called you an ass hole, Sir," she stated very calmly.  
  
Everyone in the classroom gasped, and all eyes turned to their Professor to see his reaction. To everyone's surprise, even DeAndry's, his face showed no anger.  
  
"You can take the girl out of the Muggles, but you cannot take the Muggle out of the girl," said Snape. He turned to the class. "Everyone is dismissed."  
  
DeAndry was confused, but she certainly wasn't going to stick around to see if Snape was going to change his mind. She quickly went to gather her things, but Snape's voice stopped her dead in her tracks.  
  
"Not you, Miss Harris. I would like to speak to you." The way he said 'speak' sent chills down her spine.  
  
The class cleared out much quicker than it usually did, and when the heavy door slammed shut, DeAndry flinched, feeling utterly alone.  
  
Professor Snape glided across the room and handed DeAndry a piece of cloth. Still quite confused, and having no idea what was to come, she began to wipe off the black that covered her face. The silence suddenly unnerved her, making her very uncomfortable. Snape circled, looking at DeAndry as if she were some kind of prey.  
  
"Seven years ago."  
  
DeAndry jumped at his sudden speech, but Snape just ignored her movement and continued circling like a vulture.  
  
"Seven years ago," he repeated. "I was given a list of the first years. One name was pointed out to me by Headmaster Dumbledore. It seemed that this girl had only lived in England for a few weeks. She had been an orphan all her life, having lived in countless orphanages and foster families in America, the last foster family decided to move to England. That is when the Ministry of Magic stumbled upon her. She had unspeakable magical talents and was immediately recruited to Hogwarts.  
  
"I actually felt sorry for this girl. Not knowing who her family was, changing homes more times than most of us change our quills. But then I met her. I quickly found out that you were strong headed, arrogant, stuck up, rude, with a total disregard for rules and authority."  
  
"You flatter me," DeAndry stated, annoyed at the verbal bashing.  
  
"You are the most intolerable of all my students."  
  
"Including Harry Potter?" Snape didn't respond he just stared her down. "You think I'm intolerable? Look at you. I mean no wonder you never got the job as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Other than the fact that you can't teach, Professor Lupin is not only a better instructor, but he's a better man than you could ever hope to be."  
  
DeAndry knew she had crossed the line as soon as she said it. She was right. Snape grabbed her by the arms and pulled her just inches from his face to make his point. His grip on her arms hurt, but she didn't dare say anything; she just waited for the storm of angry words to spill out.  
  
Before she had time to even think, Snape had forced his lips to hers. His tongue pushed past her lips and teeth. Surprise paled next to what she was feeling. She didn't kiss him back, but she didn't pull away either. The only thing her mind was capable of thinking was that he tasted like power, and raw magic.  
  
Suddenly Snape pulled away breathing heavily. DeAndry didn't know if it was because he had realized what he had just done, or if he was just out of breath. Not a word was spoken as Snape looked up at DeAndry's flushed face. Snape wiped his mouth with the back of his had with an expression that greatly resembled disgust. To his surprise, she licked her lips, allowing his taste to linger for a few moments more.  
  
Something churned inside her stomach, and the desire for him to force himself upon her again raged deep inside.  
  
Not knowing what to do next, Snape's eyes drifted to a smudge of black still on DeAndry's forehead. With a total sense of control, he took the piece of cloth still in DeAndry's fingers, making sure to touch her hand. He raised the cloth to her head and wiped the smudge off. He took a deep breath and allowed himself to look deep into her eyes. He was searching for something. What, he didn't exactly know, or wouldn't let himself acknowledge.  
  
Even though DeAndry's mind told her to step back, her body decided otherwise, and she stepped forward wanting to feel for herself what she was doing to her Professor. He knew what she was doing, and against his better judgment, thrust forward. A quiet whimper was allowed to escape her throat.  
  
A wrapping on the door followed by a timid voice asking for Professor Snape threw them headlong toward their senses. Both the Professor and DeAndry took a few steps away from each other just before the doors opened.  
  
"And don't let me ever catch you undermining my authority again. Do you understand me Miss Harris?"  
  
DeAndry swallowed hard trying desperately to get the frog out of her throat. "Y-y-yes Sir." She quickly grabbed her things and left the room as fast as possible, not even noticing the pure terror in the first year's face who had just interrupted them.  
  
Professor Snape watched her even beyond sight. He clenched the fabric in his hands.  
  
"What?!" he snapped at the student.  
  
*****  
  
DeAndry plopped heavily down in one of the overstuffed leather chairs in the Gryffindor common room. A crowd suddenly formed around her. Harry Potter was the first to speak.  
  
"I heard you stood up to Professor Snape ... and you're still alive?"  
  
"Looks that way," DeAndry responded.  
  
"So, how many points did you lose us, English?" Fred Weasley asked.  
  
"Yeah," his twin chimed in.  
  
"I don't think any." She frowned, sort of surprised. But when she thought about what had just happened, it did make sense, sort of.  
  
A third year girl spoke up. "So you stood up to Snape, called him a name."  
  
"An ass hole," George informed, grinning.  
  
"And you didn't lose us any points?" she continued.  
  
DeAndry nodded.  
  
There was a sudden eruption of cheers, getting everyone else's attention in the common room that they hadn't already had.  
  
"Go English!" George and Fred shouted together. Fred turned to Percy who had just come to see what all the commotion was. "She's got more balls than you do."  
  
The crowd dissipated as the Weasley twins talked of revolt from their potions classes and a lot of harsh insults directed toward the teacher. Without any notice from anyone, DeAndry made her way up to her dormitory. 


	2. Hogsmead

WARNING: This story is rated R (just to be safe) for language and sexual content.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Potterverse characters. They are owned by JK Rowling.  
  
DeAndry Harris, along with the story, though, are mine. Read but do not hurt.  
  
Timeline: During POA  
  
Hehehe, I just want everyone to know, that I'm totally aware that some of the things that Snape does in this story is slightly our of character, but if I had him in total character he would die a lonely evil man hehehe (j/k). So anyway, I like this story and I took some creative licenses, I hope y'all like it.  
  
Anyway, enough of that mumbo jumbo crap, I hope you like! And please review!!!  
  
* * *  
  
The next day Snape was surprisingly kind to everyone from the Gryffindor House. He only took away ten points when Neville caused his cauldron to explode. He didn't even scold DeAndry for turning Percy's head boy badge into a jumping insect at the beginning of the class.  
  
By the second hour of Potions, DeAndry no longer wanted to pay attention. She rested her head on her hand as she lazily listened to Snape's lecture. Not really caring what he was talking about, she let her mind wander. She noticed Snape was unusually twitchy. He kept pushing his hair out of his face whenever his eyes wandered toward DeAndry's desk.  
  
She watched his hand, barely seen under his sleeves, brush across his face, pulling his black hair out of his eyes. Her attention turned to his eyes. They were the darkest eyes she had ever seen. They were almost beautiful. Her eyes drifted down his face to his lips. She rested her gaze on his lips for a few moments and her mind drifted to the day before. How he had grabbed her shoulders so forcefully, pulling her into a kiss.  
  
DeAndry jumped suddenly noticing that silence had fallen over the room and Snape's attention fell on her for the first time in the class. With a deep look from under her brows she stared into his eyes, her lip tightly between her teeth. He shifted uncomfortably behind his desk and shot an uneasy glance around the room, but no one had noticed the stolen look. The students were diligently concentrating on the paper that was just assigned.  
  
DeAndry shook her head and slouched in her chair. She honestly didn't know what she was feeling for Snape.  
  
*****  
  
Weeks flew by. The warm September weather turned to fall, chilly and threatening winter. DeAndry dozed through her classes, and the days went by in a plodding routine.  
  
The start of Quidditch practice occupied most of the Weasley twin's free time, and DeAndry found herself lacking interesting things to do. When the twins were around, they were always scheming.  
  
Halloween was the first allowed trip to Hogsmede and also the great feast. It was one day that DeAndry was looking forward to.  
  
"Hey, Weasleys!!" DeAndry yelled trying to catch up with the redheads.  
  
"There you are!" Fred exclaimed.  
  
"We were looking for you," George added.  
  
"Thought you had decided to stay back," Fred finished.  
  
"And miss a chance to be witness to you guys in Hogsmede? Yeah right." DeAndry stepped in toe with the boys and finally caught her breath. "So, how's practice going?"  
  
They both sighed simultaneously. "You'd think we were practicing for the World Cup the way Wood's carrying on," George complained as his twin nodded his head in agreement.  
  
"Late nights?"  
  
"And early mornings," Fred said guiding his friend and brother into Honeydukes.  
  
"We were out on the field before sunrise yesterday."  
  
DeAndry gasped over-dramatically. "You guys were up before the sun? The world is going to come to an end." DeAndry laughed at the faces the twins were giving her. "But you got through it alive."  
  
"Well, sorta," Fred said sifting through a tub of multicolored candies.  
  
"Most of the team slept through Wood's psychotic ramblings," George continued.  
  
"Except for the part where he called you guys 'unbeatable'." DeAndry absently picked up a chocolate frog.  
  
Fred laughed. "Yeah, we heard that part."  
  
"How did you know he said that?" George asked lightly, frowning.  
  
DeAndry laughed. "You just said that."  
  
"No, we didn't," both George and Fred.  
  
DeAndry froze, swearing that's what she heard George say. She ran her fingernails up the back of her neck to her hair. Her eyebrows furrowed, then quickly she put on a smile. "Wood must have told me."  
  
Enormous grins crept across both George and Fred's lips. "Wood was talking about us?" George asked.  
  
"And he said we were unbeatable?"  
  
"I deny everything!" An overdramatic voice caught all of the Hogwarts students in the candy shop.  
  
"Hey Wood," DeAndry said rolling her eyes at the Keeper.  
  
Oliver draped an arm over DeAndry's shoulder. "Come on Harris, you owe me a butterbeer. Boys, we're off to the Three Broomsticks."  
  
DeAndry shrugged and shot the Weasley twins an 'oh well' look as Wood led her out of Honeydukes.  
  
Fred momentarily contemplated following his friends, but something caught his eye. "Ooo, free fudge samples!" 


	3. Dervish, Banges and Halloween

WARNING: This story is rated R (just to be safe) for language and sexual content.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Potterverse characters. They are owned by JK Rowling.  
  
DeAndry Harris, along with the story, though, are mine. Read but do not hurt.  
  
Timeline: During POA  
  
I don't know what to say about this chapter, my brain is shot. So just review it!  
  
* * *  
  
DeAndry sighed. This was exactly how every outing with Oliver Wood ended. He was now standing next to the table, his arms were flailing as he reenacted all of his amazing Quidditch plays for a rapidly growing crowd.  
  
"Wood? Wood. Wood!" Finally DeAndry got his attention. "I've still got to stop at Dervish and Banges before we go home. I'll meet you back here in an hour."  
  
Wood barely acknowledged her before he went back to his story. DeAndry rolled her eyes and pushed her way through the people then out the door.  
  
She loved Wood with all her heart. He was the closest friend she had, but when the only intelligent conversation he can hold down is about Quidditch, it gets real old, real quick. She was defiantly lacking in the heart to heart discussions. She'd have to set up a study date with Hermione Granger when she got back.  
  
As DeAndry absently made her way down the road when she realized she missed the shop. She flipped around the corner and ran straight into someone. Stumbling backwards she finally caught her balance.  
  
"I'm so ." DeAndry finally looked up seeing the stern glare of Professor Snape, "sorry," she finished.  
  
"And where do you think you are going?"  
  
"Uh . Dervish and Bangers," DeAndry said, suddenly worried that she might have done something wrong.  
  
After a long moment of the two staring each other down, Snape turned on his heel and his robes followed, swishing around his legs. He took three purposeful strides away from DeAndry. Then, when she didn't move, he stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Are you coming?"  
  
DeAndry frowned, and despite his words, still didn't move. But when he motioned with his head sharply, she shrugged and quickly caught up with him. Silently, Professor Snape led the way down to the end of the road where the small stone business sat.  
  
The store was empty. There were no students, or anyone else for that matter. DeAndry figured everyone had done their shopping earlier and were now relaxing at the Three Broomsticks or the Hog's Head enjoying a drink.  
  
A tall thin man made his way out of the back of the store and went straight to Professor Snape. After a quick word, the man disappeared again through a door in the back of the shop.  
  
"The books you're looking for are over there," Snape suddenly spoke, and pointed to the back of the shop.  
  
"Excuse me?" DeAndry asked, still trying to decide why he was being nice to her.  
  
He rolled his eyes, and he spoke again this time as if he was explaining to a young child. "You came here to purchase books on medical spells. They are back there." He pointed again.  
  
"How did you know that's what I came here for?"  
  
"There's very little I don't know about my students."  
  
Without saying anything more DeAndry found the book she was looking for, Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions.  
  
"Why don't you try something slightly more challenging?" Snape asked, eyeing the book in her hands.  
  
"Actually, I don't need anything more challenging. This is for 'just in case' situations. When you have friends like the Wesley twins and Wood ." she trailed off shaking her head, knowing Snape would understand. "Besides, I don't think I could handle something more challenging." She winced; she had left her self wide open for insult.  
  
"Hmm. I would tend to think that someone with 'unspeakable powers' could handle it." He shrugged and left DeAndry's immediate presence.  
  
Was that a compliment? she wondered. No, there is no way in hell Potions Professor Serverus Snape just gave a student a compliment.  
  
"What did you come to get?" DeAndry waited for Snape's response, but there was just silence. "Snape?" She craned her head around one of the displays looking for him. "Professor?"  
  
"Yes, Miss Harris?" His voice directly behind her, made her jump.  
  
He was so close; she could feel the heat from his body. DeAndry swallowed trying to get rid of the knot in her throat. But when she went to speak, she realized she had completely forgotten the question she was going to ask him.  
  
She couldn't help the sound that automatically escaped her throat as his hand found its way in her hair. She heard him chuckle softly, and it sent goose bumps down her neck.  
  
"It's been a while since someone's done this to you, hasn't it," he spoke quietly as he pulled her hair off her neck and over her shoulder.  
  
She couldn't answer him, because it had been some time, the summer after her sixteenth birthday. And even then it didn't feel as good, or frustrating as this.  
  
His long cold fingers crept up to the top of her neck and gripped around the back of her throat. He applied just enough pressure to make sure he had her attention.  
  
He did.  
  
"If I didn't know better, I would say you are enjoying this." His breath danced across her neck and cheek. His lips brushed against the side of her face.  
  
"This isn't fair," she said barely above a whisper. She went to face him, but he held in her place with one hand gripping her arm.  
  
"Do I look like someone who plays fair?" he growled into her ear.  
  
She shivered. "No."  
  
Gods. All she wanted was to have him take her, right there. But deep down she knew that wouldn't happen. He knew she was enjoying it, and he was too cruel to let her have what she wanted.  
  
He suddenly pulled away from her, just before the door to the shop opened.  
  
"Hey, Harris."  
  
DeAndry's eyes widened as she recognized the voice. "Wood, what's up?" She turned around and found Wood's smiling face. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Snape turn his back to her, and look through some random book.  
  
"Did you find what you needed?" he asked grabbing the book that was completely forgotten in her hands. "Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions? Hmmm."  
  
DeAndry grabbed his arm and led him to the counter to purchase the book before he noticed Snape. "I thought I told you I was going to meet you at the Three Broomsticks in an hour," she said putting the money for the book on the counter.  
  
Wood laughed. "Yeah, well, I was going to wait for you, but someone, meaning George and Fred, set off about a dozen Dungbombs. That place cleared out faster than a flock of Obliromen during a rain storm."  
  
"Ah," DeAndry pretended to be interested as she pushed him out of the store, stealing one more glance at her Potions Professor's smirking face.  
  
This was getting dangerous.  
  
*****  
  
The rest of the afternoon went on without incident, until the Headmaster caught her after coming back from Hogsmede.  
  
"DeAndry."  
  
Instantly, fear spread throughout her body. She wondered if the Headmaster had seen right through her, and knew what she had done that day with Snape. Or rather, what he had done with her.  
  
"Yes?" DeAndry said, surprised at how solid her voice was.  
  
"I need to speak with you for a moment." He pulled her aside. "I have a sneaking suspicion you've been using your powers inappropriately."  
  
She sighed remembering her attempts of reading Snape's mind. "I did. Well, I tried." Her shoulders sank. "It didn't work."  
  
For a moment the Headmaster looked stern, and DeAndry wondered if she was going to be reprimanded. But the slightest twinkle in his eyes told her otherwise.  
  
"Then perhaps you should choose weaker minded persons than Professor Snape."  
  
They both laughed.  
  
"So you heard about the exploding cauldron?" DeAndry asked, suddenly felling better.  
  
"I'm pretty sure there isn't a person in this school who didn't hear about it."  
  
"Does Snape know that I'm telepathic?" she asked, suddenly putting the pieces together.  
  
"Well, if he didn't before, he does now."  
  
Great, she thought sarcastically to herself.  
  
"But in any case, I would like to speak with you after the feast."  
  
DeAndry's head fell on her shoulders. "Alright."  
  
*****  
  
But the chance for the Headmaster to speak to DeAndry quickly diminished after the Halloween feast. Once the Gryffindor house found the Fat Lady's painting slashed, DeAndry had forgotten about almost everything that had happened earlier that day.  
  
Professor McGonagall ushered the last of the students into the Great Hall. Everyone turned to Dumbledore, waiting for him to speak. "The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle. I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he said to Percy. He stood up as tall as he could, trying to get across his importance. "Send word with one of the ghosts."  
  
Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing . . ."  
  
He nonchalantly waved his wand and the diner tables flew across the rooms, surprising missing every one of the students, and sat against the walls. He waved it again and the stone floor was covered with fluffy purple sleeping bags.  
  
He turned to the door but paused with his back to it. "Sleep well." And he closed the door behind him.  
  
"What happened?" asked Mandy Broklehurst, a Ravenclaw girl; and the whole hall grew loud with excitement.  
  
Fred turned to Mandy, "It was Sirius Black."  
  
"He was in the school," George continued for his brother.  
  
"Really?" Mandy's eyes got wide. "But how?"  
  
DeAndry shrugged. "I don't know. I thought no one could get in here without someone knowing. But he was here, and in the Gryffindor tower nonetheless. I didn't see, but I guess he slashed through the Fat Lady."  
  
"Was anyone hurt?" Mandy asked.  
  
"No, we were all in here," Fred explained.  
  
"Wow," Mandy sighed. All four nodded.  
  
"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" Everyone looked up for a moment to see Percy trying to get everyone quiet and situated, but it did little. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!" Finally, the students made their ways over to sleeping bags. DeAndry followed the Weasley twins over to Lee Jordan, who was saving four bags for them near one of the entrances. They all climbed in, fully dressed, and propped their heads up with their hands so they could talk.  
  
*****  
  
At about three in the morning, Fred and DeAndry lay quietly with their eyes close, having been just told off for talking from Percy. One of the doors opened and Professor Dumbledore made his way over to Percy, who was just a few feet from DeAndry and Fred.  
  
"Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper.  
  
"No. All well here?"  
  
"Everything under control, sir."  
  
"Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."  
  
"And the Fat Lady, sir?"  
  
"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr. Filch restore her."  
  
The door opened again, and she knew Percy and Dumbledore were waiting for whoever it was to make their way over to them.  
  
"Headmaster?" It was Snape. DeAndry opened her eyes as soon as she heard his voice. She watched him, silently, listening to the conversation. "The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."  
  
"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Olwery?" Dumbledore questioned.  
  
"All searched ..." Snape said shaking his head.  
  
"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger."  
  
"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" asked Snape.  
  
"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."  
  
"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before-ah-the start of term?" said Snape. DeAndry could almost see his scowl.  
  
"I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, almost threateningly.  
  
"It seems-almost impossible-that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed-"  
  
"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," said Dumbledore, ending the conversation. Snape didn't say anything. "I must go down to the dementors. I said I would inform them when our search was complete."  
  
"Didn't they want to help, sir?" DeAndry heard Percy enter the conversation.  
  
"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am headmaster."  
  
Percy stood still, quite confused, but he didn't say anything. Dumbledore nodded to Percy and left the hall quickly and quietly. Snape stood for a moment, watching Dumbledore until he shut the door behind him. Snape dropped his gaze to the students fast asleep on the floor and his eyes widened as he caught DeAndry's look. She frowned, not being able to read his look. It was a cross between resentment, and worry. Realizing he had let the stolen glance last longer than it need to, he shook his head and left the same way Dumbledore had.  
  
DeAndry looked over to Fred, who was also listening.  
  
"Who would have helped him in?" DeAndry asked, in a voice lower than a whisper.  
  
Fred just shrugged. 


	4. Quidditch and Detention

WARNING: This story is rated R (just to be safe) for language and sexual content.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Potterverse characters. They are owned by JK Rowling.  
  
DeAndry Harris, along with the story, though, are mine. Read but do not hurt.  
  
Timeline: During POA  
  
Oooo Oooo, I have to give mondo credit to my best bud Kelly Fox for the Slytherin break in bit. Instead of the rest of the story where I wrote it and she helped make it sound better, she actually did most of the writing for that section and I made it sound better (which is so funny because in almost all of my stories there is a chunk that she had a hand or foot in) so this one is hers. Merci beaucoup!!!  
  
Anyway, enough of that mumbo jumbo crap, I hope you like! And please review!!!  
  
* * *  
  
The following week had passed and everything but Sirius Black was gone from everyone's minds. DeAndry's Professor troubles never crossed her mind, until the day after Gryffindor lost to Hufflepuff because of Harry's mishap with the dementors.  
  
Everyone from the Slytherin house was in good spirits, including Professor Snape.  
  
Malfoy was prodding Harry as he, along with Hermione, Ron, George, Fred, and DeAndry, were on their way to dinner after Harry had gotten out of the hospital wing.  
  
Draco was imitating Harry falling off his broom, and then laughing about it with his two usual lackeys, Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
"Shut up Malfoy," said DeAndry, finally getting fed up.  
  
"Mind your own business, Harris," Malfoy shot back.  
  
DeAndry was no doubt ready to give Draco a rather large piece of her mind when she was stopped.  
  
"Come on English," George said seeing Snape round the corner. George grabbed DeAndry by the arm and pulled her away from Malfoy.  
  
The five Gryffindors continued on their way to the Great Hall for their meal with the Slytherins following close behind.  
  
DeAndry rolled her eyes when she heard Professor Snape's voice.  
  
"It's such a shame that our groundskeeper's pet viciously attacked you," Snape said to Malfoy.  
  
"He's a Professor now!" Harry turned and spat at Snape.  
  
"Whatever," Snape said, showing that he still wouldn't acknowledge him as such.  
  
"And Malfoy's not even hurt," said DeAndry. She applied pressure where his bandages were. When there was no immediate reaction from Malfoy, she turned to Snape, "See."  
  
Suddenly, as if the reaction was delayed, Malfoy wailed in pain.  
  
An evil smile spread across Snape's pale face. "Detention!"  
  
"What?!" DeAndry cried.  
  
Malfoy shot her triumphal smirk.  
  
DeAndry scowled, as Snape passed the group of students. All three Weasleys glared at Malfoy. He just smirked and followed Snape into the Hall.  
  
*****  
  
"There's got to be a way to get back at Malfoy without getting another detention," DeAndry whispered to the Weasley twins. She glanced up to the staff table to find Snape tilting his head and smirking in her direction. "And it's got to be tonight."  
  
*****  
  
As DeAndry emerged down the stairs from the dormitory a few minutes after midnight, George and Fed stood from their current positions in front of the fire.  
  
"You guys ready?" DeAndry asked peering over the banister.  
  
The two redheads held up a backpack each showing that they were ready and prepared.  
  
DeAndry hopped down the stairs and strode up to the twins. "Let's get going. But I hope you have some brilliant idea to get us into the Slytherin dormitory," she said it with a hint of skepticism.  
  
George and Fred looked surprised and hurt.  
  
"Of course we have a plan," George said.  
  
"You doubted us?" Fred added.  
  
"Whatever," DeAndry half laughed at the dramatic moment for the twins. "Let's go."  
  
DeAndry and the twins climbed out of the common room and into the dark corridors of the school. They stalked from shadow to shadow. Randomly, George would pause and glance at something in his bag. Fred would then lean over him to look in the bag. DeAndry ignored it, having long ago learned not to ask. Moments later they would continue in their path.  
  
The three crept down the hallway toward the Great Hall.  
  
"Where are we going?" DeAndry whispered.  
  
"You'll see," Fred said with a smile over his shoulder.  
  
DeAndry rolled her eyes but continued to follow after the twins.  
  
In the main hall, they took a surprising turn down a small corridor. George and Fred halted dramatically in front of a statue of a knight with a sword as if they expected DeAndry to acknowledge some great feat.  
  
"Why are we here?"  
  
Fred pulled down on the sword. A low grumbling noise was heard just before the statue moved to one side revealing a secret passage way.  
  
"It leads right into the Slytherin House," Fred explained.  
  
"I don't even think any of the Slytherins know it's here," George said and jumped into the dark passage way.  
  
DeAndry was impressed. "You two are amazing," she said as she followed the twins into the passage.  
  
"We know." George said with a grin. Fred nodded.  
  
They walked in silence for a moment after lighting their wands. The air was stale and musty, and it made DeAndry cough.  
  
"Shhh." George and Fred said at the same time. "Do you want to get us caught?"  
  
"Sorry!" DeAndry whispered harshly. "Do you really think that we could get caught in here? You said that none of the Slytherins knew about it."  
  
"That doesn't mean that Filch doesn't." George said. "It wouldn't be pleasant if he caught us."  
  
"And Snape," Fred added. "You can't forget Snape."  
  
"He's been in a pissy mood lately-I mean, more pissy than usual." George held his wand out to the side looking for something along the wall of the tunnel. "It's bad enough putting up with him for Potions," he continued, "but now he's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts while Professor Lupin's gone."  
  
"Lupin's gone?" DeAndry asked. "I just had class with him on Wednesday."  
  
"Yeah, he's sick or something," Fred explained.  
  
"Snape wasn't subbing until Friday," said George.  
  
There was silence for a moment, except for the rhythmic thump of their feet in the soft dirt.  
  
"I hope Lupin's back by Tuesday," DeAndry sighed. "I like Lupin."  
  
"Me too," both George and Fred agreed.  
  
George and Fred paused again, holding their wands to the wall. They took several slow steps examining the cold stone.  
  
"What are you looking for?" DeAndry asked.  
  
"The stone with the snake on it." Fred said.  
  
"Stone with a snake?"  
  
"It's the entry." George said. "But we have to find it."  
  
"Ah."  
  
They continued down the passage, keeping a close watch on the wall. It wasn't much longer that George let out a happy 'ah ha!'  
  
"Shhh." Fred said, but smiled. "Good. I was beginning to think that we had missed it."  
  
DeAndry finally saw what they were talking about. One stone, halfway up the wall, had a coiled snake carved into it. It had its mouth open, which was a depression in the rock.  
  
"Stand back," George said and stepped back. Holding his wand at arms length, he placed the tip of his wand in the depression. "Guardian serpent, I bid you open."  
  
At his command, three stones wide by three stones tall seemed to vanish. All that was left was a transparent wispy outline of the stones and the snake. They looked like wire cubes floating on top of one another.  
  
"Hurry," Fred said and stepped through. The others followed closely behind him.  
  
When DeAndry looked back, the wall looked solid. "Did it close us in?"  
  
"No. We can walk right back through that wall. It stays open until you close it."  
  
DeAndry nodded and took an opportunity to observe the Slytherin common room. It reminded her of Snape's dungeon classroom. She shuttered at the thought of living in such a place; although, it seemed to suit its occupants well.  
  
The three quietly snuck through an arched doorway toward the dorms. Fred found the third year boys room first. He slowly pushed the door open and motioned for the others to follow him. The room was cramped and it smelled odd, like dirty socks. DeAndry plugged her nose and George nodded at her in agreement.  
  
Malfoy wasn't too hard to pick out. His area was the only one spotlessly clean. The others had clothing, books, and candy strewn all over.  
  
The three snuck over to Malfoy's bed. Grinning mischievously, George and Fred began digging in their bags. Fred pulled out a packet of magic hair color: brilliant red. George pulled out a packet almost identical: daisy yellow. DeAndry grinned and nodded.  
  
One of the Slytherins across the room snorted in their sleep and rolled over. The three Gryffindors froze, waiting. To their horror, he sat up. By the large flat head, they recognized him as Crabbe.  
  
The Gryffindors glanced at each other just before the brute's voice hollered. "Malfoy!"  
  
"Run!" George hissed.  
  
The three didn't half to be told. They shot for the door as if it were their last hope at life.  
  
Crabbe sprang from his bed, but his large fumbling feet didn't move quickly enough. DeAndry slammed the door closed in his face.  
  
The three, scared and panicking, fled to their hidden passage way. They jumped through it just in time to spin around and see Malfoy leading Crabbe and Goyle on a rampage. They watched for a moment as Malfoy, furious, flung a handful of powder in the dying fire. "Professor!"  
  
Moments later Snape's voice trickled into the room. "You'd better had a good reason for this, Malfoy."  
  
"Gryffindors! Gryffindors in MY BEDROOM!"  
  
The Gryffindors looked at each other nervously, and there was a moment of silence. George reached out and closed the entry.  
  
"We'd better get back NOW!" DeAndry said as she broke into a run down the passage. George and Fred didn't argue; they were right behind her.  
  
DeAndry's heart was beating fast. It was one thing to be disrespectful and snotty to a Professor but something completely different to break into the Slytherin dormitory, and Professor Snape knew. She prayed that they could get safely back in bed before being caught.  
  
They were nearing the Gryffindor room and DeAndry thought they were home free when they rounded the corner to see a dark figure standing in front of the portrait. She stopped in her tracks and hurtled in the opposite direction. George and Fred did the same thing when they saw the Slytherin professor in the hall.  
  
George and Fred pulled DeAndry into another passage way. They sprinted to the other side and emerged into a corridor far away from the Gryffindor dormitory. The three slowed to a walk and started down the hall.  
  
"What are we going to do?" DeAndry asked. "Knowing him, he'll stay there all night."  
  
George and Fred groaned.  
  
"We should consult the Marauders." Fred said.  
  
"It's our only option," George nodded.  
  
"Marauders?"  
  
"We'll show you," they said.  
  
"We need to find a safe place," George said.  
  
Fred stepped toward the nearest door. Opening it, he stated, "It's empty."  
  
George shoved DeAndry in the door. Fred flopped down on the floor. "The Marauder's map," he said.  
  
DeAndry sat down next to him. She watched the map of Hogwarts reveal itself on the old piece of parchment. "Cool."  
  
Fred nodded. "All the secret passage ways in the school are on this map."  
  
DeAndry grinned and stared at it as Fred searched for a safe way to return to their common room.  
  
George milled around the room, looking at the covered furniture in the room. "Anything?"  
  
"I think. Yes! I think all the dorms have a secret entry into their common room." Fred said, but paused.  
  
George stood in front of a large thin vertical piece of furniture. He stared at it in curiosity. Finally, he pulled the cover off of it, revealing a large mirror. His eyes widened, and he smiled at his discovery. "Fred! DeAndry! Come look at this."  
  
"Huh?" Fred looked up from the map. "What are you carrying on about?"  
  
"You have to look at this. Just come on!"  
  
DeAndry and Fred stood at the same time. Fred bounced over to his twin, while DeAndry walked slowly.  
  
"Wow!" Fred said completely amazed. He touched the edge of the mirror. "Is this what I think it is?" he asked peering into his reflection.  
  
"What?" DeAndry asked.  
  
"The Mirror of Erised," George said in awe. He stepped up next to his brother.  
  
"There we are," said Fred.  
  
"We're standing in front of our joke shop, George and Fred's," George said.  
  
"The sign doesn't say 'George and Fred's,'" Fred explained. "It says 'Fred and George's.'"  
  
They both scoffed.  
  
"Hey," George said peeling his eyes off his reflection. "Let's let her."  
  
The twins stepped back allowing DeAndry to step up. Stopped in front of the mirror.  
  
"What does it do?" She asked only seeing her reflection.  
  
"It shows you what you most desire," Fred said.  
  
George explained how they had heard about it, but DeAndry wasn't listening.  
  
Snape had appeared right behind her. She was confused. Why would she most desire getting caught by Snape? As she watched the reflection, she noticed Snape's hands were sitting on her hips. He smiled slyly and bent down pressing his lips on her neck. DeAndry's reflection closed her eyes and turned to face Snape. He grabbed her around the waist roughly and forced her into a demanding kiss.  
  
"DeAndry!" Fred shouted.  
  
The image in the mirror vanished and DeAndry was left staring at herself, breathing heavily.  
  
"What did you see?" George asked.  
  
DeAndry turned to her friends, but she couldn't tell them what she saw.  
  
"Was it your parents?" Fred asked eagerly.  
  
"Yeah," DeAndry said quickly, but her voice wasn't more than a whisper.  
  
A crash of armor echoed down the corridor outside the classroom. All three students looked at each other.  
  
"Peeves?" Fred asked hopefully.  
  
"I don't think we should chance it," said George. "Let's get out of here."  
  
DeAndry and Fred nodded in agreement.  
  
Following Fred's directions, the three Gryffindors found their way through the kitchens, up a winding and twisting staircase, and into their common room. The twins grinned at each other, praised their excellent adventure, and said good night to DeAndry. They didn't even notice her sudden change in emotion.  
  
She dragged herself up the stairs and into her dorm. Not bothering to put on pajamas, she dropped into her bed and threw the covers over her face.  
  
DeAndry lay awake for hours pondering what she had seen in the mirror. The one thing she had desired most was Professor Snape. She replayed the images from the mirror a thousand times in her mind. If she thought hard enough, she could almost feel his hands on her body.  
  
It was a lot harder getting up the next morning. 


	5. Detention and Revenge

WARNING: This story is rated R (just to be safe) for language and sexual content.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Potterverse characters. They are owned by JK Rowling.  
  
DeAndry Harris, along with the story, though, are mine. Read but do not hurt.  
  
Timeline: During POA  
  
Anyway, enough of that mumbo jumbo crap, I hope you like! And please review!!!  
  
* * *  
  
DeAndry received the notice for her detention at breakfast. A large hawk owl arrived with the rest of the crowd for the morning mail. It dropped a small folded piece of parchment onto her plate.  
  
Opening it, she read:  
  
Miss Harris, your detention will be served at eight o'clock sharp this evening in the potions room. Do not be late.  
  
The neat, thin writing was that of Professor Snape.  
  
Staring down at the parchment, she sighed loudly.  
  
"What did you get, English?" George leaned over to look at her paper.  
  
"Her detention notice, I would guess ." Fred said, stretching to see over his twin.  
  
"Yeah," DeAndry said bleakly as she tossed the parchment aside.  
  
*****  
  
Eight o'clock came around quickly. DeAndry left the warm comfort of the Gryffindor common room and trudged toward the cold of the dungeons. Snape was already waiting in the Potions room.  
  
"I said eight o'clock," Snape said without looking up from his book as DeAndry entered the room.  
  
She looked down at her watch. "It is eight."  
  
"You're three minutes late."  
  
"Actually . by my watch, I'm thirty seconds early," she said in a snotty tone.  
  
Snape just glared at her over the pages of his book.  
  
As his eyes dropped back to his book, he spoke. "You will turn all of the desks, chairs, and shelves to face the North."  
  
"And what's the point of that?"  
  
"Amusement," Snape said turning another page in his book.  
  
"I'm not very amused."  
  
"Not your amusement, mine."  
  
Knowing that there was nothing she could do, she decided to get the punishment over with. Discarding her robes, she began to push the chairs away from the desks in jeans and a white tee-shirt.  
  
Snape moaned an approval under his breath as she bent over to push the corner of one of the desks. He tried desperately to keep his attention on his book, but was having difficulty with the distraction of DeAndry's movements in her confining denim.  
  
"Okay," DeAndry spoke to herself. "These are a little bit on the heavy side." The legs of the desk scratched noisily alone the stone floor, forcing a shutter from Snape.  
  
Knowing that the scraping was getting on his nerves, DeAndry continued to drag every bit of furniture along the stone, making as much noise as possible.  
  
"Why do they call you English?" Snape asked raising his voice over the screeching after a little more than half the desks were moved.  
  
To Snape's relief, DeAndry stopped pushing the heavy desk and looked up, very surprised by Snape's question. "The Weasley twins?"  
  
"Yes. They've called you that since their first year here."  
  
"I guess because I'm the only one here who's not English." Snape gave her a funny look. "Don't ask me, Fred and George reasoning. But at least I'll always know who's talking to me." She hoisted herself onto the desk and let her feet dangle over the edge.  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Like if someone called me 'DeAndry', I would know it's either someone who doesn't know me very well, or someone who's very close to me, like Dumbledore. If they called me 'Miss Harris', I would know it was a professor, like you. And if they call me 'English', it's either George or Fred."  
  
Snape stared at DeAndry for a long moment, silent. DeAndry couldn't recognize the emotion behind the look, but it faded abruptly.  
  
"Do you think you've had enough punishment?"  
  
DeAndry smiled at the idea of the end of her labor.  
  
"I do," she said sweetly.  
  
With a nasty smile he raised an eyebrow. "I don't."  
  
DeAndry scoffed. "I am not doing this anymore."  
  
"I don't believe you have a choice."  
  
DeAndry scoffed and shot Snape a nasty look.  
  
"Why are you so insubordinate?" shot Snape.  
  
"Why are you so vindictive?" she spat back at him.  
  
"You aren't afraid of me, are you?"  
  
"Do I look like I'm afraid of you?"  
  
"You should be."  
  
"You can do anything to me."  
  
Snape raised his eyebrows as if challenging her. "Finish it!" he ordered.  
  
DeAndry wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out at her professor.  
  
"That was mature," Snape said under his breath and he went back to his book.  
  
DeAndry, reluctant as she was, went back to rearranging the room. She got every piece of furniture, including the large bookcases, turned toward the north side of the dungeon.  
  
"There! Are you happy now?" DeAndry asked, frustrated, hot, and sweaty.  
  
Snape put his book down on his desk and stood. He stalked across the room to the new front of the classroom.  
  
After a long moment of surveying the new arrangement, he spoke. "The back desk isn't lined up, that bookshelf is crooked and the books on the end are in disarray, and you still haven't moved my desk." Snape was amused at the look on her face. DeAndry looked as if she could have killed him. But to his great amazement, she took a few deep breaths and physically calmed herself.  
  
"No. It's almost midnight and I am exhausted. I am not doing any more work," she stated defiantly.  
  
Snape knew she was right. She had been working all night, and had done a very good job at that-which he would never admit. But she had to be punished, he reasoned with himself, even if he did just wanted her company.  
  
"Then tomorrow."  
  
DeAndry gritted her teeth and grabbed her robes. "Fine!" she yelled at him and stormed out of the room.  
  
As soon as the sound of her shoes running up the stairs was gone he slumped down into his chair massaging the bridge of his nose.  
  
"What am I doing?" 


	6. Payback's a Bitch

WARNING: This story is rated R (just to be safe) for language and sexual content.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Potterverse characters. They are owned by JK Rowling.  
  
DeAndry Harris, along with the story, though, are mine. Read but do not hurt.  
  
Timeline: During POA  
  
Anyway, enough of that mumbo jumbo crap, I hope you like! And please review!!!  
  
* * *  
  
DeAndry climbed into the Gryffindor common room, tired and irate. She grumbled as she headed straight for the stairway to her room.  
  
George and Fred were the last students to be awake. They sat in the comfortable seats in front of the dying fire. They were talking quietly, obviously up to no good. They looked up when DeAndry dragged into the room.  
  
"What about her?" said George pointing at DeAndry.  
  
Fred's grin widened. "She's perfect. She's already gotten in trouble by Snape a lot this year."  
  
"About three billion times," said George.  
  
"What's one more time?" Fred turned around in his chair. "Hey English!"  
  
DeAndry stopped and turned to the twins. They were motioning for her to come sit by them.  
  
"Yeah?" she asked sitting down next to Fred.  
  
"We've decided to turn all the furniture in the Potions' room invisible," George started.  
  
"But we need another body," Fred added.  
  
"You in?" they asked at the same time.  
  
DeAndry smiled weakly, thinking only for a moment. The thought of getting back at Snape was too good to pass up. "Sure. When?"  
  
The twins shot each other sly sidelong glances.  
  
Then in tandem, "We'll let you know."  
  
*****  
  
As lunch ended the next day, DeAndry slowly wandered toward the dungeons and her Potions class. She was strangely apprehensive about class with Professor Snape, but she didn't know why.  
  
Filing into the Potions room with the other students, it took her a moment to realize what instantaneously bothered her about the classroom. Every single piece of furniture was turned back to the west. Everything that she had done the night before was changed.  
  
Her jaw dropped in horror and anger. Her apprehension was gone, and she glared at the Potions Professor.  
  
"I decided I did in fact prefer the room the way it was before," Snape said as he entered the room.  
  
"You-suck," DeAndry spat in disbelief.  
  
Snape raised and eyebrow. "You know the way to your seat, Miss Harris."  
  
DeAndry glared at him, but made her way to her seat.  
  
Snape began the lesson by announcing DeAndry's second half of her detention. There were a few snickers from the back of the room, but with one ambiguous look of death from DeAndry the smirks ceased. Snape noticed this exchange, and thought it amusing that the laughing Slytherins would hush so quickly at the look of a Gryffindor. He dismissed it quickly and went back to teaching the lesson.  
  
*****  
  
"We're not waiting, we're doing it tonight!" was the first thing that shot from DeAndry's mouth as she entered the common room after Potions class.  
  
Both Weasley twins startled as DeAndry stormed into the common room. "I'm getting so sick of that pompous fool!" She didn't even slow down, huffing across the room to the stairs. She stomped over exasperatedly up the stairs and slammed the door of her dormitory.  
  
"Snape's not the smartest individual is he?" Fred asked.  
  
"You mean to piss her off?" George questioned.  
  
Fred nodded.  
  
George laughed. "I think it's amusing when she's angry."  
  
"As long as she's not angry with us." 


	7. Spidee, Spidi, Arachnids!

IWARNING: This story is rated R (just to be safe) for language and sexual content.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Potterverse characters. They are owned by JK Rowling.  
  
DeAndry Harris, along with the story, though, are mine. Read but do not hurt.  
  
Timeline: During POA  
  
I just wanted to say thanks for all of your reviews!! You guys are great!!  
  
Anyway, enough of that mumbo jumbo crap, I hope you like! And please review!!!  
  
* * *  
  
DeAndry's head was throbbing. She was furious with Snape. She couldn't believe his nerve. She didn't remember him being as pigheaded the previous years she spent in his Potions classes. Sighing she fell onto her bed, face down.  
  
"So why can't you stop thinking about him?" she mumbled to herself.  
  
There was a knock on her door; she growled.  
  
"Unless you like the idea of your head being shrunken and sold to the aborigines on the black market, I would suggest you go away!" DeAndry lifted her head from her pillow just long enough to yell her warning.  
  
Despite the threat, the door to her bedroom opened.  
  
"Hey," was all that was spoken.  
  
Recognizing the voice, DeAndry looked up. "Wood. Hey."  
  
"You have an hour before Snape claims you for the rest of the night. I don't think he'll even let you break for dinner."  
  
DeAndry frowned at his odd comment, her mind going straight to what it would be like to actually have Snape claim her.  
  
"The second half of your detention," he clarified. "Anyway, you can't spend it cooped up in here. Come on, take a walk with me."  
  
Wood led DeAndry out to one of the quads. She hopped up onto a ledge, separating the grassy square from the covered walk way. Wood rested his elbow on the stone ledge just below DeAndry's feet.  
  
"What's wrong?" Wood cut right to the point.  
  
DeAndry frowned at her friend. "What do you mean? Nothing's wrong."  
  
"How long have I known you?"  
  
"Seven years," she said hugging her legs.  
  
"And in seven years how many times have you gotten in trouble. I mean enough trouble to merit a detention?"  
  
DeAndry sighed realizing Wood's point.  
  
"Now I don't know what's going on, but it is something. Seriously. The incident with Snape, Malfoy, and all your detentions. You've been so detached from everything . And honestly, I miss my friend." Wood's gaze dropped to the other side of the stone.  
  
DeAndry leaned against the pillar and closed her eyes. She didn't say anything. She couldn't. There was no way he would understand why she was doing what she was doing. She wasn't even sure if she understood. She looked down at his searching eyes. He wasn't going to leave without an explanation. She had to tell him something.  
  
"You're going to go on to professional Quidditch after you graduate," DeAndry said matter-of-factly.  
  
Wood frowned. That was the last thing he thought she would say. "Yes," he said hesitantly.  
  
"And what about me, Wood? What am I gonna do after I graduate?"  
  
Finally realizing what was wrong, Wood sighed. "You still don't know what you want to do." It really wasn't a question.  
  
Looking at the ground, DeAndry realized even though she was trying to steer away from conversation about Snape, she really wasn't lying. Honestly, that really had been playing on her mind. "I mean I'm not really good at anything, like you are."  
  
"Sure you are. You get really high marks in all your classes."  
  
"Well, yeah, enough so I only have to apply minimal effort in class, but I wasn't good enough to become a prefect or anything. It's hard to have motivation when you have no idea where you are going with your life."  
  
"You know," he said, suddenly smiling. "You could always come with me and be a cheerleader."  
  
Frowning at the thought, she couldn't stop herself from smiling. "Wood, I don't think Quidditch has cheerleaders."  
  
"Well they should." He laughed. "You could start a team. Then you could spend all day with me. You'd be all mine."  
  
DeAndry started laughing, but a figure behind Wood caught her attention. It was Snape. She suddenly felt bad that he had heard what Wood was saying.  
  
"Miss Harris," Snape's silky voice spoke.  
  
Wood's grin suddenly faded into a grimace. "Here's where I lose you to an older man," he whispered just before pushing himself away from the wall.  
  
DeAndry laughed.  
  
"She's all yours," Wood said and left DeAndry to her pending doom.  
  
As soon as he was out of sight, DeAndry jumped off the ledge. "Well, let's get this over with," and she was on her way back into the castle.  
  
Snape frowned at both of the students' reactions. All the students were supposed to be terrified of him. He must be losing his touch.  
  
Snape ended up following DeAndry all the way down to the dungeons.  
  
"So what do you have in store for me today?" she said playfully as they entered the Potions room.  
  
Snape was not amused. Without saying a word, he pointed to the head of the classroom where a large dark glass jar sat on a table.  
  
Curious, DeAndry made her way closer to the jar. Something was moving inside, she could hear it, but she didn't know what it was. Then finally, she saw them. Hundreds of spiders, all different sizes, with the same black and purple coloring.  
  
DeAndry's eyes widened with fear. "No way!" She backed away as fast as she could, running into Snape himself. She turned to face him with pleading eyes.  
  
"I need to harvest the legs. You're helping me," he said looking down at her menacingly. Then he turned on his heel to collect some materials. "All you have to do is pull them out of the container. I wouldn't trust you with cutting off their legs."  
  
Ignoring the direct insult, DeAndry looked wide-eyed at the eight-legged arachnids. "Look, you can take away all the Gryffindor points, give me a billion detentions, heck even kick me out of the school . but there is NO WAY I'm sticking my hand in there. It ain't happening."  
  
Snape was actually surprised by her tone. She was dead set on not getting near the spiders. But he wasn't going to let her get out of it.  
  
"You don't have a choice."  
  
If it were possible, DeAndry's eyes grew even larger. "Are you kidding me?" and her voice squeaked.  
  
"It's not like they are going to hurt you." He frowned becoming irritated. "Here," he said throwing a long glove at her. "You may wear this if you choose."  
  
Subconsciously, she slipped the glove over her right hand. The leather like material stretched all the way up to her elbow. After setting down a bowl and a scalpel at the desk next to the jar of spiders, Snape grabbed DeAndry's arms and pushed her to the desk.  
  
"I don't want to do this," DeAndry pleaded one more time.  
  
Snape pushed her down into the seat. "If a detention consisted of something you wanted to do, it wouldn't be a punishment, would it?"  
  
DeAndry just shivered.  
  
"Alright," he began. "I want you to pull them out one at a time, and hold them still so I can cut the legs off cleanly." He nodded his head trying not to look at her worried face.  
  
Taking a deep breath, DeAndry opened the lid just enough to stick two fingers in and grab the legs of one of the spiders.  
  
"Here," she said shivering once again, holding the spider out in front of Snape.  
  
The screeching noise that shot through the air as Snape cut the legs, made DeAndry cringe. Dropping the wriggling body into the bowl, she turned back to grab another spider. After the scream of the first dying spider, the others were all huddled at the bottom of the jar. Sighing, she reached her gloved arm into the jar gabbing another.  
  
Before she could even get it over to Snape, it screamed. DeAndry startled, and her grip on the leg was let loose. Moving too fast for DeAndry to react, the spider ran up her arm to the edge of the glove. Her eyes shot open as it squeezed underneath glove.  
  
"Oh my god!!!" With a bright spark of light the glove with the spider in it, flew across the room. "Get it off, get it off, get it off!" DeAndry screamed, flailing her arms and dancing around in place.  
  
"It's not on you!" Snape shouted, trying to grab her arms to still her.  
  
She shivered violently, and finally Snape wrapped his arms around her shaking body. Her chest was heaving, and she looked like she could break down in tears in any second.  
  
"It's not on you," he repeated. She sighed and let out a small whimper. "I'm sorry," he whispered, finally realizing how afraid of the spiders she actually was.  
  
"I can't believe you!" she gasped pushing him away from her. Her face was red with fear and anger. She wasn't sure if she was mad at him for making her handle the evil creatures, or mad at herself for getting so scared in front of him. Either way, she was going to take it out on him.  
  
A pain suddenly pulsed from her hand up her arm. "It bit me," she realized, holding up her hand. Her thumb and index finger on her right hand were already swelling. The same deep purple that covered the body of the spiders was snaking its way through the veins in her hand.  
  
"We need to go to the Hospital Wing now." 


	8. Revenge is Sweeter than Poison

WARNING: This story is rated R (just to be safe) for language and sexual content.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Potterverse characters. They are owned by JK Rowling.  
  
DeAndry Harris, along with the story, though, are mine. Read but do not hurt.  
  
Timeline: During POA  
  
Alright, I have a few things to say, first of all, I dedicate this chapter to Danielle, Anna, Melanie, Mia and Katya for being such fans that they bugged the crap out of me to get another chapter up. Hehehehe, see guys, it really does work!! Y'all are the reason I write this stuff ... well you and the fact that I'm living precariously through DeAndry.  
  
Secondly, I just figure something out. Despite the fact that this story very much so wants to have a plot . it just can't seem to find one. So I hope you guys don't mind the total lack of a decent plot, but I promise, the sequel to this story does have a plot, and unfortunately you have to read this story to understand the next one. So, yeah. And I still thank you all for the reviews. Keep them coming!! Love you guys immensely.  
  
Anyway, enough of that mumbo jumbo crap, I hope you like! And please review!!!  
  
* * *  
  
It took just seconds for the venom of the spider to spread through DeAndry's blood stream. She could feel it, migrating to every part of her body, and finally her head. With a wave of nausea, her knees gave out. If it weren't for Snape's quick reflex she would have found herself on the stone floor of the Potions room.  
  
DeAndry tried to focus her eyes on the figure who had his arms around her, keeping her on her feet. A fuzzy outline of a body was the only thing her mind could compute.  
  
"I want to sit down," she tried to say, but her mouth didn't agree. The words came out in an incoherent jumble.  
  
"Try to lean on me," he spoke, and all DeAndry could do in a response was look at him, and attempt to shift her weight against his steady form.  
  
She had no idea how she got all the way to the Hospital Wing, but it must have taken Snape a good deal of effort, judging by his face. DeAndry tried to concentrate on something, anything, but she was swept up in the pain in her hand and the haze in her head. It made making sense of anything nearly impossible.  
  
She closed her eyes and listened to the voices of Madame Pomfrey and Professor Snape as they molded into one sound.  
  
"What happened?" Pomfrey asked, helping Snape get DeAndry into the hospital. "Up here," she said motioning to one of the beds.  
  
Snape gathered DeAndry in his arms, and lifted her onto the bed. Her head suddenly convulsed, and snapped from side to side. Snape put his hand over her forehead stilling her.  
  
"She was bit by Missulena spider." Snape's face was white, whiter than usual. "I've studied these spiders for years. This shouldn't have happened."  
  
After a quick frown, Madame Pomfrey shook her head. "You need to leave. Let me help her." She pushed Snape away from DeAndry and her bed. After a moment of hesitation, he finally left the room.  
  
*****  
  
Alicia Spinnet could feel her face turning red. The Weasley twins had been following her all the way from the Great Hall. She had some business, rather private business at that, to attend to, and George and Fred had made it their personal goal for the night to find out exactly what she was up to.  
  
"Are you going to study?" George asked.  
  
"No," his twin chimed in. "The library is the other way. Maybe going out to practice on the field?"  
  
Alicia continued down the hall attempting to ignore the red heads.  
  
"No. It's too dark," George said with a thoughtful look on his face.  
  
"I've got it!" Fred yelled overdramatically. "You're off for a secret rendezvous with a Slytherin boy!"  
  
"George! Fred!" Alicia turned around and yelled, finally getting fed up with the twins. She kept walking backwards attempting to get them to leave her alone. "If you ask me one more time-" but her sentence was cut off as she ran into something, or rather, someone.  
  
Both George and Fred's eyes widened when they saw Snape looming over Alicia who was now trying desperately to get as small as she possible could.  
  
"I'm so sorry," she gasped, when he didn't say anything. She didn't wait for a response; she scurried away as fast as she could.  
  
Snape glared at the Weasley twins who were still standing in front of him.  
  
"Hey, wasn't English serving detention with him?" Fred asked George quietly.  
  
George nodded and suddenly realized where they were, in front of the Hospital.  
  
"Is there something wrong with her?" George asked Snape, suddenly worried. But Fred didn't wait for a response. Bursting through the doors, George followed his brother, with Snape right behind them.  
  
"You can't go in there!" Snape growled, trying to stop the boys, but it was no use.  
  
"DeAndry?" George gasped, when he saw her on the bed. "Are you alright?"  
  
"What happened?"  
  
With the help of Madame Pomfrey, DeAndry was doing considerably better. She sat up and looked over at the twins. Her head was still a little hazy, but she was at least able to decipher what the boys were saying.  
  
"He bit me," was all she said.  
  
Both Weasley's frowned and turned around to see Snape freeze in his tracks with a look of horror on his face.  
  
"I told you he was a dirty old man," Fred whispered to George, loud enough for both DeAndry and Snape to hear.  
  
"No," DeAndry spoke, suddenly realizing what she had said. She held up her swollen hand. "I was bitten by a spider."  
  
A sense of relief washed over Snape's features and the boys turned back to DeAndry.  
  
"I didn't send you out so you could bring in more people," Pomfrey scolded Snape. "Out! All of you!" Pomfrey cried, trying to push the twins away from the bedside.  
  
The boys reluctantly left the hospital. Snape stood in place, refusing to leave.  
  
"Please," Pomfrey said quietly, so DeAndry would not hear.  
  
The poison educed haze in DeAndry's head fuddled with her perceptions, but she knew she shouldn't have been able to hear Pomfrey's words. They were loud enough to rattle her skull. DeAndry frowned when she realized that without effort she was reading Pomfrey's thoughts before the witch spoke them to Snape.  
  
"It's going to be quite painful to remove the fangs. I don't think she would want you here." Pomfrey didn't want DeAndry to have to deal with Snape seeing her cry.  
  
Without saying a word, Snape nodded stiffly and finally followed the red heads out.  
  
"Thank you," DeAndry said, as the mediwitch made her way back to her bedside.  
  
"It was nothing dear. I understand how students like you want to stay strong in front of your most respected professors."  
  
DeAndry chose not to reply, and let Madame Pomfrey set to work on her hand.  
  
As the poisonous fangs were pulled from her hand, DeAndry attempted to distance herself from the present. Her mind wandered back to what had happened only a little while before in Snape's classroom. Not only did she use magic to get the glove off her hand without the use of her wand, but Snape had not mentioned it. He held her reassuringly, and actually made an apology.  
  
As another wave of pain shot through her hand, DeAndry flung her head to face her opposite shoulder. She took a crisp breath in through her nose.  
  
Sighing, she could smell Snape on her clothes.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity of pain, Madame Pomfrey finished.  
  
"You must keep it covered," Madame Pomfrey directed, wrapping the bandage once more over DeAndry's swollen hand. "For at least a few days. We wouldn't want it getting infected."  
  
"Can the twins come in now?" DeAndry asked, gently running her fingernails over the edge of the bandage.  
  
"I suppose a short visit couldn't hurt," she said, rising from the bedside. She moved to the door, where she stuck her head out to address the people outside. "Alright, you two can come in now."  
  
Both George and Fred, who had been waiting out in the hall the entire time, rushed into the wing. "Don't be too, long," Pomfrey instructed, already making her way to her office. "She still needs her rest."  
  
"What happened to Snape?" DeAndry asked as soon as Pomfrey disappeared.  
  
"He was gone as soon as Madame Pomfrey kicked us out," George said, jumping up on to the edge of DeAndry's bed. "He didn't even try to find out if you were ok."  
  
"He was probably worried he would get in trouble for hurting a student, stupid git," Fred grumbled. "So," Fred started, glancing around to see if anyone was listening. Both twins slunk forward, their voices dropping. "So are we still on for tonight?" Fred asked.  
  
"They're gonna let me out of here in just a little bit." DeAndry's eyes darkened, bent on revenge. "So yes. More than ever." 


	9. Caught

WARNING: This story is rated R (just to be safe) for language and sexual content.   
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Potterverse characters. They are owned by JK Rowling.  
  
DeAndry Harris, along with the story, though, are mine. Read but do not hurt.  
  
Timeline: During POA  
  
Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. I was just about finished, and then the Order of the Phoenix came out ... sort of stalled my endeavors. But I'm back, and I have a few chapters done, so they'll be up shortly. Keep those reviews coming. And check out the link at the end of this chapter.  
  
Anyway, enough of that mumbo jumbo crap, I hope you like! And please review!!!  
  
***  
  
Headmaster Albus Dumbledore watched as the Potions Professor pulled yet another book off the shelf. He flipped through the pages almost franticly.  
  
"Missulena Spider," he said absently. "This does not make sense!" Snape growled throwing the book down among a number of others.  
  
"Severus," Dumbledore finally spoke. Snape startled at the sudden presence of the Headmaster.  
  
He regained his composure and stood, flipping his black hair out of his face. "What can I do for you, Headmaster?"  
  
Pretending as if he hadn't seen Snape's outburst just moments before, he answered. "I went to see DeAndry in the hospital wing."  
  
"Is she alright?" Snape asked, trying to sound like he honestly didn't care.  
  
"She had a reaction to the venom. Under normal circumstances a slight pinch would be the extent of the pain the Missulena would inflict." Not wanting to go into detail, Dumbledore laughed. "But, obviously, you knew that." Snape didn't say anything, so Dumbledore continued. "Despite everything, I think there was more fear than actual pain. She's deathly afraid of spiders. I can't believe you actually got her close enough so one could bite her."  
  
Letting his apathetic tone waver just slightly, he ventured another question. "How long will she be in the infirmary?"  
  
"Poppy is releasing her as we speak. She will be back to her charming self by classes tomorrow morning."  
  
Snape scoffed, rolling his eyes, his worry completely gone from his voice. He turned away from the Headmaster. "Charming," he said under his breath.  
  
"You don't think Miss Harris is charming?" Dumbledore asked his eyes sparkling with mischief.  
  
Snape avoided Dumbledore by rummaging around in a supply cupboard. "She has become quiet insufferable in her last year here."  
  
Dumbledore chuckled. "And as I recall, you had a very similar disposition your last year."  
  
"I never did anything to merit a detention," Snape said turning to face him.  
  
"Or at least you didn't get caught."  
  
Snape just stared at the Headmaster through half closed eyes. "Is there anything more I can do for you?"  
  
Dumbledore smiled. "No, I think that covers it."  
  
*****  
  
DeAndry was searching through her Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions book trying to see if perhaps is was a common reaction she had to the spider venom. She was turning the page carefully with her wounded hand when Harry, Ron and Hermione joined her in the common room.  
  
"Hey," Ron was the first to speak as the three made their way to her table.  
  
"Hey," DeAndry said, closing her book.  
  
"We heard what happened," Hermione said, looking sympathetically toward DeAndry's hand.  
  
"I hate spiders," Ron added with a shudder.  
  
DeAndry nodded in agreement. "You and me both."  
  
"I think Wood was looking for you," Harry chimed in. "He went straight to the Hospital Wing after practice. He looked worried."  
  
"I wasn't that worried." All four of the Gryffindors turned around to find Wood, still in his Quidditch robes.  
  
"Come on you two," Hermione said pulling at Ron and Harry's sleeves. "We have some Potions homework to study for."  
  
"Aww. 'Mione," Ron whined. Hermione flashed a quick smile to DeAndry and pulled the complaining boys away.  
  
Wood sat down in the chair across from DeAndry.  
  
"I heard what happened," Wood started. " Are you alright?"  
  
"Madame Pomfrey said I had an allergic reaction to the spider's venom. Messed me up pretty good." She paused and looked down at the ground. "Professor Snape practically had to carry me to the Hospital Wing."  
  
"That must have been embarrassing," Wood said with a slight smirk.  
  
"You're telling me. So you heard right after practice?" Wood nodded. "Wow. It's amazing how quickly things fly in this school."  
  
"Especially when two certain red-headed twins hear about them first." Wood couldn't help but smile. "Those two are amazing."  
  
There was a long moment where nothing was said. DeAndry looked everywhere but straight at Wood.  
  
"Been spending a lot of time with them."  
  
DeAndry frowned. For a moment she didn't know if she had said that or if he had.  
  
"Yes, you have," Wood finally said.  
  
It must have been her.  
  
"How bout this," Wood said leaning forward, as if to propose something. "You start spending some more time with me. It'll be like it was before. Then we can figure out what you should do after you graduate." Wood flashed her an enormous grin. "Oh, and one more thing … no more detentions, k?"  
  
DeAndry had to smile. He really was a good friend.  
  
Just behind Wood, the Weasley twins had appeared and were waving their hands, trying to get DeAndry's attention.  
  
"Wood, there is one more thing I have to do. And there is a very good chance it'll land me another detention. But I have to do it."  
  
*****  
  
The twins had ever base covered by the time DeAndry was released from the Hospital Wing. And when they came to get her from the common room that evening, they were ready to create some mayhem.  
  
"I didn't think Wood was gonna let you go," Fred said once the three of them were on their way to the dungeons.  
  
"Yeah," George chimed in. "I had to promise to take the fall for you if we get caught," he said hitting DeAndry playfully.  
  
"As if that would happen," Fred said rolling his eyes.  
  
They stopped at the Potions Room door.   
  
"You know he's going to have it warded," DeAndry brought to the twins' attention lazily. She knew they would have that angle covered, but she decided to bring it up anyway.  
  
"Of course we do." Fred leaned in towards the door and whispered something under his breath. There was a deep clank and Fred stepped backwards extravagantly.  
  
"I'm not even going to ask how you found out that password," DeAndry said shaking her head. She reached out and took the handle without thinking. The pain from the bite in her hand reared up again. "Ow ..."  
  
"Well stop using your hand," Fred said frowning. He pushed his way past his brother and DeAndry. The classroom was pitch black.  
  
"Lumos." It was DeAndry's wand that cast the only light. George and Fred were already gathering the supplies in the dark. DeAndry lit a single candle in the classroom.  
  
"That's about as useful as pissing in the wind," Fred said putting a jar back on one of the top shelves.  
  
There was a moment of silence as the twins kept rummaging for supplies.  
  
"Eww!" DeAndry said scrunching up her face.  
  
"What?" the twins asked in unison.  
  
"'Pissing in the wind.' What a disgusting analogy. Brits are weird." DeAndry shook her head trying to relieve herself of he mental picture.  
  
Both Fred and George rolled their eyes. "Yeah, like American's aren't," Fred said and George nodded in agreement.  
  
After a moment longer, gathering supplies from Snape's stores, George mixed the needed ingredients in a round glass vile.  
  
"Alright," George said standing. "You guys ready?" Both DeAndry and Fred nodded. "Wands ready."  
  
With a wicked smile, George tossed the vile up in the air, to the middle of the classroom.  
  
"Now!" Fred called.  
  
"Elacte!" all three cast, and short bursts flew from each of their wands. The glass casing disintegrated and the finite powder fell all across the potions room. Even though there was a small amount of light in the room, every particle of it was reflected on the millions of grains floating slowly to rest on the furniture.  
  
"It's beautiful," DeAndry gasped.  
  
"Just wait," Fred whispered.  
  
In less than a second, the furniture flickered and then disappeared all together.  
  
"You two are amazing wizards," DeAndry commended gazing out in to the now seemingly empty room. "Too bad your talents are wasted on evil and not good."  
  
George threw his arm around DeAndry's shoulder, taking a good look at their more recent triumph. "This isn't evil. This is a quest for good."  
  
Fred came up on the other side of DeAndry, wrapping his arm around her waist. "The quest for finding and removing the bug that crawled up and died in Snape's ass."  
  
All three laughed, and turned away together, leaving the Potions classroom and all of the invisible furniture behind.  
  
*****  
  
The next morning DeAndry tried desperately to suppress her laughter as she entered the Potions room. All the students were extremely confused by the lack of desks, chairs, and shelves. Snape seemed to be floating in mid air, writing on a piece of parchment, which appeared to be floating in the same placement the desktop would have been.  
  
"Sit!" Snape growled, obviously more irritated than usual.  
  
Flint was the first to speak. "Where?"  
  
That was obviously the wrong thing to say.  
  
"Don't make me tell you again!" Snape yelled standing.  
  
DeAndry was the first to move. She groped in the air until finally found a chair. She pulled the invisible seat out and sat down. Snape's lips thinned as he glared at her, ignoring the rest of the class trying to locate their transparent seats. DeAndry smiled slyly, and gave a quick wave to her professor with her bandaged hand.  
  
The look that Snape shot her, showed that he knew it was her who did it. But there was no way he could prove it.  
  
"Is this what you did?" Wood asked under his breath, finally finding a seat next to DeAndry.  
  
She just smiled.  
  
The rest of the Potions class was absolute hell. On top of no one being able to see any of the furniture, Snape was in an awful mood, and because of it, every house, including Slytherin, lost points in that hour.  
  
It was wonderful.  
  
*****  
  
That evening, there were so many rumors flying around the Gryffindor common room. The news of the invisible Potions Room had caused quite the ruckus. DeAndry knew Snape could have easily reversed the spell, so she wondered why exactly he hadn't fixed everything before classes.  
  
She shrugged. She wasn't even going to think about trying to decipher the inner workings of that man's mind.  
  
"DeAndry," a second year girl cut into the chatter in the common room. "The Headmaster would like to speak with you. In his office."  
  
DeAndry sighed, and somewhere behind her someone was saying, "Harris has done it this time."  
  
She snuck out of the Gryffindor tower with no comment from anyone, except the Fat Lady, who was clucking her tongue at the fact that DeAndry was getting sent to the Headmaster's office.  
  
But DeAndry really wasn't worried. She knew Dumbledore had a soft spot for her, with good reason, but that wasn't something she advertised.  
  
"DeAndry, please come in," Professor Dumbledore's voice rang almost as soon as she had made her way up the spiral staircase.  
  
DeAndry smiled at the Headmaster, and was just about to say something very cute and charming when a rustle behind her, caught her attention. Instantly she turned her head, only to have the smile wiped completely off her face.  
  
It was Snape. She was in trouble.  
  
"Professor," she nodded curtly. He nodded back, with almost the slightest hint of a smile.  
  
Deep trouble.  
  
"Since this year began, you have gotten a total of four detentions, one hundred thirty house points deducted, and there were two incidents that despite the fact you were not punished for, I suspect you had a hand in."  
  
DeAndry sank down into a red plush chair next to Professor Snape.  
  
"And if I could prove that you broke into my potions room, stole ingredients, and turned my furniture invisible ..." Snape said with a deadly glare.  
  
DeAndry curled her lip at Snape. There was no way she would admit to doing anything to Snape.  
  
Dumbledore ignored the exchange between the professor and his student, and turned to face DeAndry. "Was it you who turned the Potions room's furniture invisible?"  
  
DeAndry's lungs constricted. She could deny her actions to Snape all day, but to Dumbledore ... She couldn't lie to the Headmaster. Her gaze fell to floor.  
  
"Yes." That had always been a weakness of hers.   
  
DeAndry didn't have to look up to see the smile on Snape's lips.  
  
Dumbledore sighed. "I'm disappointed in you, Miss Harris."   
  
DeAndry's head sank even further and she tried to look anywhere but directly at Dumbledore. Disappointment was so much worse than anger.  
  
"Now, I know you didn't do this on your own, so I have decided not to give you another detention." Snape was just about to argue. "As I see it," Dumbledore said forcefully, eyeing the Potions Master, "you have too much time on your hands. Because of this, I have arranged for you to assist Professor Snape with a project."  
  
"What?" This came from both DeAndry and Professor Snape.  
  
"Why him?" DeAndry suddenly wasn't afraid to look either of the two men in the eye.  
  
"Because, you owe him."  
  
DeAndry stood. "The way I see it, if anyone owes anyone, it's him owing me."  
  
"Excuse me?" Suddenly Snape was standing as well, towering over his student.  
  
"Perhaps." The Headmaster folded his hands in front of him.   
  
Shocked at Dumbledore agreeing with DeAndry, Snape cocked an eyebrow. "Excuse me?" he repeated a little louder.   
  
But Dumbledore ignored him, and continued. "Then he shall be lending his expertise, to further your education."  
  
Both DeAndry and Professor Snape were at a loss for words. They stood at the edge of Dumbledore's desk, staring at him in disbelief.  
  
"But-" DeAndry started. She was cut off as Dumbledore looked her down over his half moon spectacles.  
  
"It has already been decided," the Headmaster spoke solidly.  
  
DeAndry squinted her eyes. "You are very meddlesome, Headmaster."  
  
*****  
  
Copy and paste this: http://www.angelfire.com/or2/destinysobsessions/identify_that_sexy_brit.htm   
  
You'll see why. After you post a review ... hehehe 


	10. Death by Hazelnut

WARNING: This story is rated R (just to be safe) for language and sexual content.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Potterverse characters. They are owned by JK Rowling.  
  
DeAndry Harris, along with the story, though, are mine. Read but do not hurt.  
  
Timeline: During POA  
  
I've been waiting to post this chapter for a long time. I love this chapter. You'll see why. I hope you guys enjoy it as well. Now I had originally written the small parts spoken by Snape in French ... in, well, French, but despite the fact that it's a beautiful language, and it just kinda loses something in the translation, I decided to keep it in English and put around it. I know you guys are probably smart enough to have figured that out ... but yeah.  
  
You all can thank Annie for this quick update. Ask and you shall receive. But that means I expect another review, girl! Hehehe.  
  
And here's a ploy to get you to read my other HP story. It's called "First Time for Everything" It's about Snape ... so what more could you want? And it's fairly short ... and *gasp* finished. Bet you never thought you would see that word associated with one of my stories. Hehehehe. Anyway, go check it out.  
  
Yeah, enough of that mumbo jumbo crap, I hope you like! And please review!!!  
  
* * *  
  
The punishment, whether or not that's what Dumbledore called it, was to begin the first day of winter break. Some vacation that would be, stuck doing grunt work for Professor Snape. But it wasn't as if there would be much more to do anyway. Almost all of the students' parents had insisted their children return home for the holiday, because of the recent events with Sirius Black.  
  
DeAndry tried as hard as she could to enjoy her few weeks of freedom before the break. But even the twins had decided to tone it down. So, she found herself concentrating on homework. Unfortunately, being good seemed to have its speed bumps as well.  
  
DeAndry's head hit the library desk hard, her hair falling across the table. After a few moments of silent contemplation on whether or not it would help to hit her head again, she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.  
  
"I give up. I can't do it," she told whoever was trying to console her.  
  
"Can't do what?" said the last voice she was expecting to hear.  
  
She lifted her head; hair mangled around her face, and looked up at Professor Snape, whose hand was still on her shoulder. DeAndry ran her fingers through her hair, pulling it out of her eyes and she looked down at the book she was reading.  
  
"It's for Defense Against the Dark Arts."  
  
Snape slid his hand from DeAndry's shoulder and sat down next to her, suddenly intrigued.  
  
DeAndry continued. "It's supposed to create a barrier that, you know, won't let magic through."  
  
"Le Bouclier D'Empêchement," Snape said moving the book in front of him so he could read it. "Where are you having the problem?"  
  
"Well." DeAndry sighed. "The way Lupin explained it." her sentence dropped off, not finishing her thought.  
  
An evil grin spread across Snape's face. "Was confusing?"  
  
"To say the least. And it's not like I can ask him, he's still sick. And everyone will be leaving tomorrow for Christmas break. It's due the day we come back, how am I supposed to finish it?"  
  
"I could help you," Snape said without taking his gaze off the book.  
  
There was a long moment of silence and DeAndry just stared at him. "Really?" she finally said.  
  
Snape nodded. "What about this evening? Right after dinner? My room?" he asked looking up at DeAndry.  
  
She smiled. "Okay."  
  
*****  
  
That night DeAndry got something to eat from the kitchen and then headed back up to the Gryffindor common room to finish her meal. She was nervous about meeting with Snape. She lied, telling herself she didn't know why. Probably before she needed to, she headed down into the dungeon. It was unusually cold, dark, and quiet. There was a dim light of a single candle burning on Snape's desk, but he wasn't in sight.  
  
"Professor?" she called into the room, but there was no reply. "Professor?" When there was no response this time she made her way to his office, across the hall. The door looked almost carelessly left open. "Professor?" she asked again, sticking her head into the room.  
  
"Miss Harris." DeAndry jumped. The voice came, not from inside his office, but right behind her. She turned around to face him, a little embarrassed that she was startled. "You're early."  
  
"Oh," DeAndry said fidgeting her hands nervously. "If you want me to wait- "  
  
"The sooner we get started, the sooner you can leave me in peace." DeAndry was a little surprised by his remark, but comfortable with it. It was a typical comment from him. He turned back to his classroom. "Shall we?"  
  
She shut the door to his office, which only merited a simple nod from Snape, and followed her professor into his classroom.  
  
"Le Bouclier D'Empêchement," DeAndry said out loud as she took a seat in the front of the room. "That's not Latin."  
  
"No, it's French," Snape stated simply, taking a seat next to her.  
  
"Ah, what does it mean?"  
  
"It means prevention shield."  
  
"Do you speak French?"  
  
"Oui," he spoke, and a strange smirk formed across his face. Then he continued, the words dripping off his lips. I have spoken French since I was your age, maybe even younger. It's the language of love, but I've never had the need to speak it, until now. I seem to have found someone lovely enough to speak it to.  
  
"It's beautiful-the language," she clarified, as if there was something else she could be speaking of. "I wish I could speak French." There was a long moment of silence, and DeAndry wished Professor Snape would teach her, but the offer never came.  
  
"Why don't you go home for the holidays?" Snape asked, and DeAndry was honestly surprised by the question. "You've stayed every Christmas since you started here."  
  
"This is my home," she answered simply.  
  
"What about your foster parents? Don't you ever go to see them?"  
  
DeAndry laughed aloud.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I thought you said there wasn't anything you didn't know about your students."  
  
"I said there is very little that I didn't know."  
  
"This must be one of those 'little' things," she said smiling. "Dumbledore is my legal guardian."  
  
Snape looked genuinely surprised. "Why him? Why not some other wizarding family?"  
  
"Do you remember those 'unspeakable powers'?"  
  
"Like your telepathy?"  
  
DeAndry stopped for a moment. So it was true, he did in fact know. "That and some other things ... I guess the Ministry felt it best for me to stay with one of the most powerful wizards in the world. They didn't want me to fall into the wrong hands." DeAndry's eyes suddenly flicked to the desk where Snap's hands were crossed neatly in front of him.  
  
Snape's eyes, as well as his thoughts followed DeAndry's.  
  
"I think perhaps I already have."  
  
With the smoothest and most natural movements DeAndry had ever seen, Snape picked his hands off of the table to his chin. Studying her, he rested his head gently on his intertwined fingers. Not for the first time, DeAndry wished she could read his mind.  
  
"How long have you known? That I'm telepathic, I mean."  
  
"For a while. I think it was sometime during your fifth year."  
  
"You don't think ... you know exactly when it was."  
  
His lips turned upwards into a smirk. "Yes, I supposed I do." He lifted his head. "It was during your potions final."  
  
"Oh yeah, I remember that. You scared me. Everything was so quiet in the room, and then you thought something really loud." She laughed. "The only think I could think of at the time was, 'Please try to think quieter, we're attempting to take a test here.'"  
  
Snape didn't laugh like DeAndry was hoping, but he did smile, slightly.  
  
"What I said a couple weeks ago, um, about you not being a good teacher, and that you could never be a better man than Lupin, I-I didn't mean it." She gently placed her hand over his. "Oh, your hands are freezing." DeAndry took Snape's hands in hers trying desperately to warm them.  
  
"I ." Snape started but his words were lost in her touch.  
  
"How can you stand it down here? Without any heat?"  
  
Snape just shook his head as DeAndry's attempt at warming his hands found its way slowly migrating further up his arm. She grazed her nails gently down his arm to his wrist. Taking his hand, holding it up, she rested her cheek against the cool of his palm.  
  
Snape took a deep breath through his nose and his eyes rolled back in his head. "You smell of hazelnut."  
  
She smiled, and pulled away from him. "It's my lotion," she said wringing her hands.  
  
Snape stood and DeAndry watched him as he rounded her, and stopped directly behind her. "I like it," he whispered into her ear. He closed his eyes and began speaking in French once again. He pulled away from her ear and slowing shifted his attention to her other side. He was so close to her that with every word, his breath danced along her ear.  
  
I want you, need you in ways that I never should. You alone are an incessant reminder that I am still a man. His eyes darted down at the collar of her robes. His thumb slid underneath the fabric to find the oversensitive skin of her neckline.   
  
After the sharp intake of air, DeAndry's tongue shot out of her mouth to wet her suddenly dry lips. Balled up in her stomach were tension, anticipation, and a longing that she had never felt before.  
  
"Teach me," DeAndry said in a voice lower than a whisper.  
  
Snape stood up straight. "French?"  
  
DeAndry laughed. "No. Le Bouclier D'Empêchement."  
  
"Ah." He made his way around DeAndry and sat across from her. "I have a better idea." DeAndry raised her eyebrow in question. "You show me how to do it, and I'll tell you where you are wrong. You teach me."  
  
"All right." DeAndry leaned forward. "Close your eyes."  
  
There was a moment of hesitation, but he nodded and closed his eyes. Snape was suddenly very aware of his surroundings-of every smell, every sound ... every touch. DeAndry's hands were on his knees. He physically and mentally tensed.  
  
"Relax."  
  
Her tone, in any normal circumstance, would have made him tenser than he already was, but for some reason, it did relax him.  
  
"Now, there is nothing around you, nothing at all." Her hands moved up his leg and rested on his thighs. She shifted forward on the edge of her chair so her knees were touching his. "You're alone."  
  
Snape was having trouble clearing his mind. He couldn't concentrate with her this close, but there was no power on earth that could make him tell her to withdraw her hands. He was vaguely aware of her fingers migrating further up his legs on account of the circles her thumbs were making on the inside of his thighs. If this was punishment, he was willing to pay the penance.  
  
DeAndry had long forgotten the remainder of the spell; she was now concentrating on the reactions of her touch on her professor's face. Her hands continued to migrate up his leg, and the tension shone through very clearly on his face. She was almost at his groin, when his eyes shot open and he gasped.  
  
"You're not concentrating, Professor."  
  
Regaining his composure, or at least his outward composure, he took DeAndry's hand in his own and brought it up to his mouth. Pressing his lips to the inside of her wrist, he could feel the blood pumping through her veins. He smiled against her skin, happy that she was just as worked up as he.  
  
DeAndry stood quickly and pushed the chair aside so she could face Snape.  
  
"I need this," said DeAndry, her voice shaking.  
  
That was all it took. He grabbed her by the waist and pressed his lips against hers. He pushed her back into his desk, hard. Glass vials fell from his desk and shattered on the floor at their feet but neither cared.  
  
This time she kissed him back. Needing to be close to him, she pressed her body against his. He forced his tongue inside her mouth. His frustration and desire was only matched by her passion and need. He wanted so badly to move his hands up her body so he could feel her curves that were always hidden by her robes, but he stopped himself.  
  
Realizing that he couldn't be doing what he was doing, he pulled away, far away. He stood about ten feet from her and just watched, her chest heaving with each breath.  
  
"We can't-I can't," Snape said hating the words coming out of his mouth.  
  
DeAndry touched her mouth, almost able to still feel his lips there. She took a deep breath, and, to Snape's confusion, looked like she was trying to suppress a smile. This wasn't the reaction he had expected.  
  
"Then I should go," she said in a tone that was much calmer than it should have been.  
  
Snape was suddenly in need of some support. He stumbled backward to his desk and placed his hand on the wood, shifting his weight there.  
  
"I should go," she repeated. And after a moment of just standing, memorizing the outline of Snape's form, she shook her head. She gathered her book bag in her arms. "I should go."  
  
"You've said that twice already." His voice was a dark silk, and DeAndry suddenly wanted to kiss him again.  
  
"Then, perhaps I should." DeAndry squeezed her bag tightly to her chest. She nodded, ignored her heart and the sudden warmth between her legs, and made her exit hastily.  
  
With the sound of his classroom door shutting, his chest collapsed and he sighed heavily. Rubbing his eyes, he rested against the edge of his desk. "She will be the death of me." 


	11. Holiday Arrangements

WARNING: This story is rated R (just to be safe) for language and sexual content.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Potterverse characters. They are owned by JK Rowling.  
  
DeAndry Harris, along with the story, though, are mine. Read but do not hurt.  
  
Timeline: During POA  
  
I'm sooooo sorry this took so long to get up. I ended up getting pneumonia, and was out for a while, then I got that stupid Microsoft worm, and then I was just very busy. So sorry again.  
  
Yeah, enough of that mumbo jumbo crap, I hope you like! And please review!!!  
  
* * *  
  
"Hey English!" It was George. Or Fred. Either way, DeAndry ignored the pounding on her dormitory door and threw her blanket over her head.  
  
"DeAndry!" She grumbled, that was Wood. She could ignore the twins all morning, they would have done the same to her, but not Wood.  
  
She always had a soft spot for Oliver Wood. From the first moment he was sorted into the Gryffindor House and chose, of all places, to sit next to her. From that point on they had an unspoken arraignment. Best friends.  
  
Sighing, she climbed out of bed, not even bothering to throw anything over her nightgown. It wasn't like any of the three of them hadn't seen her in less.  
  
Modestly was never her strong suit. She had to smile at that thought.  
  
"What?" she asked pulling the door open, the smile still gracing her lips. The three boys stood practically on top of each other in the doorway.  
  
"Can we come in?" Wood asked as the twins pushed their way past their Quidditch captain.  
  
"Mi casa es su casa," she said moving to one side so Wood could get past.  
  
"You know," George started.  
  
"The offer to come with us is still open," Fred finished.  
  
George plopped onto DeAndry's bed. "Mum would love to see you again."  
  
DeAndry laughed. "As much fun as it would be to see you guys with the home court advantage ... because, the entertainment value of that alone would be awe inspiring, I just don't think I could put up with a whole break with Percy."  
  
Both George and Fred laughed. "That's exactly what Ron said," they said in unison.  
  
"Yeah." DeAndry siged. "But this is my last year here, and I would really just like to sped break in the castle, without having to go to class, or do homework."  
  
"It's not as if you do homework anyway," Wood said under his breath.  
  
"I heard that," DeAndry laughed. And the next moment, Wood found himself on the ground, tackled by the Gryffindor girl.  
  
Laughter burst throughout the room.  
  
"The Gryffindor Keeper was just tackled by a girl," George said and he looked down at Wood and DeAndry.  
  
She was sitting on his stomach still laughing. Wood sat up and attacked her sides, tickling her. DeAndry sputtered, laughing harder.  
  
"Anyone else who's not staying for break had better hurry up!" Percy's voice floated up into DeAndry's dorm room.  
  
The laughter finally ceased as they all realized it was time to say good- bye.  
  
"Alright, English," Fred said standing, "we'll write once we get home."  
  
"Ok," DeAndry said getting off of Wood. "Merry Christmas."  
  
"Merry Christmas!" the twins called as bolted out of the room in time to make sure Percy knew they were breaking rules by being in a girl's dormitory.  
  
Wood stood, suddenly uncomfortable. "All right. Well, I guess I should get going." He stood awkwardly trying to decided how to say goodbye.  
  
But DeAndry got to it first. She pulled him into a hug. "Merry Christmas," she whispered. "And when you get back, we'll start spending more time together."  
  
He pulled away from her embrace with a grin on his face. "Promise?"  
  
"Promise. Now you better get out of here," she said pushing him playfully, "would want you to miss the train."  
  
"Merry Christmas," he called behind him as he ran out the door, leaving DeAndry alone once more.  
  
*****  
  
After lunch that afternoon, Professor Snape caught DeAndry before she made her way back to the Gryffindor Tower. He was rather short with her, as he explained that she was to go directly down to his dungeons to being the project that the Headmaster had so graciously bestowed on them.  
  
Unfortunately, both the Headmaster and the Potions Professor were closed lipped as to what exactly the project entailed. But DeAndry didn't pursue it. She trusted Dumbledore. So DeAndry started off her first day of vacation cooped up in the Potions classroom.  
  
After finally finishing the tedious work of cleaning every cauldron, beaker, and ladle they were going to use, DeAndry sighed. The only job after that, which Snape had left her with was watching a potion boil and tell him if it turned green. She was getting stir crazy, and the fact that Snape had refused to speak to her, except to give her instructions and yell at her once for almost dropping a jar full of black beetle eyes, didn't help. He was ignoring her at his desk, mixing something.  
  
On the desk next to the cauldron, there was a fine dusting of powdered graphorn. She ran her finger through it, and spelled out her name. She sighed blowing the grains off of her finger and watched them slowly make their way back to the desk.  
  
"Hmmm," she said aloud.  
  
Snape looked up at the small sound she had made, and when she closed her eyes he was suddenly intrigued. She held her hand out over the powder on her desk and her eyebrows furrowed in concentration.  
  
Cocking his head to one side, he watched as the powdered graphorn suddenly began to twitch, without the use of her wand, and finally come together in a slightly transparent cylinder about five inches tall. DeAndry smiled and finally opened her eyes. With a slight movement of her hand, the shape twisted and morphed until it finally formed two people, a witch and a wizard.  
  
The two graphorn dust figures danceced, chased each other around the desk, and finally sat on the table. Suddenly there was a baby in the witch's arms.  
  
DeAndry sighed and rested her head on her arm as she watched the figures.  
  
Out of no where, her head shot up and caught Snape's gaze. The figures fell back into a pile of dust. "Who do you look more like? Your mother or your father?"  
  
Snape said nothing; he just stared at her with a strange expression on his face. For a fleeting moment DeAndry wondered if anyone had ever asked him a question like that before. In the silence, a conversation with Dumbledore, years ago, came back to her. The only person Professor Snape every talks to, was the Headmaster himself.  
  
"Neither, actually," Snape finally answered. DeAndry cocked her head surprised. She hadn't expected him to answer her. Snape stood from his desk and strode to a counter with ingredients on it, turning his back to her. "I look a lot like my grandfather, on my mother's side," he almost whispered under his breath.  
  
"I'm sure he was very handsome," DeAndry said with a playful smirk.  
  
Snape ignored her blatant attempt at flirting.  
  
"What are your parents like?" she continued.  
  
He turned around and stared at her straight on. "Dead."  
  
DeAndry's head dropped. "Oh, I'm sorry." Her eyes flitted away from Snape, not wanting to meet his gaze, and fell on the forest green liquid in the cauldron. "Oh," DeAndry said sitting up. "It's green."  
  
Snape gracefully made his way to the cauldron. Scooting back slightly, DeAndry allowed Snape access to the potion. She watched as his long fingers wrapped around the neck of a bottle from the desk without even looking. He carefully filled the bottle without spilling a drop.  
  
"Now what do we do?" DeAndry asked after Snape put a stopper in the bottle.  
  
"We wait."  
  
"Wait," she repeated in a hushed tone. He finally looked down at her. Raising her head she met his look. He didn't pull his eyes away; he just stared down at her. Suddenly one breath was more labored than a hundred for DeAndry, and she felt her cheeks go warm.  
  
"I don't think I have ever seen you blush before." There might have been a double meaning behind his words, but with his flat voice it just sounded like a simple observation.  
  
"I usually don't blush in front of people."  
  
"And I'm the exception?"  
  
"You're the exception to a lot of things." Carefully she raised her arm to his face. "I've never seen you blush," she said barely touching his cheeks.  
  
DeAndry jumped when his fingers dug into the inside of her arm, pulling her hand away from his face. "We can't continue this."  
  
"Continue what?" she played dumb.  
  
"This relationship." He threw her hand back at her.  
  
She cocked an eyebrow and actually laughed. "What relationship? All we do is argue. I piss you off, you give me a detention or take away house points, I get revenge and then the whole thing starts over again. I think we're quite a ways away from picking out china patterns. I mean a couple of quick make out sessions ... amazing make out sessions," she added with a slight tip of the head, "doesn't constitute a relationship."  
  
"You know what I mean."  
  
She paused. Then her demeanor suddenly darkened. "Of course I do," she said standing. Snape watched her movements as she made her way to one of the counters. She leaned on it, her back toward him, and took a deep breath. "But even if we did stop the more obvious faux pas of our ... as you say 'relationship,' how much do you think our lives would change?" She turned to face him. "I would continue to piss you off, you would continue to get me in trouble, and I would continue to retaliate." He just stared at her with a blank expression. "Why take out the parts that we both seem to enjoy?"  
  
"A physical relationship would never work. The consequences ... for both of us ..." his voice trailed off.  
  
DeAndry sighed. She knew he was right. They could both get in trouble, but Snape's punishment would be far greater. "Fine," she finally agreed. "No more physical."  
  
"Good," Snape said making his way back toward the cauldron.  
  
DeAndry, jumped in front of him, taking his robes in her hands. "Then tell me more about you, your family," she said with an amused grin.  
  
"No."  
  
Her smiled faded. "No?"  
  
"I think you should leave."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Leave," he spat through gritted teeth.  
  
"God, what's your problem? Are you afraid that someone might see what you are ... and like it?"  
  
He solidified his scowl, and turned away from her gaze. "Quite the opposite actually," he said under his breath.  
  
DeAndry actually laughed. "Afraid someone might hate you for who you are," she said, her arms outstretched, spinning in place, "instead of who you want everyone to think you are?" She leaned forward, shoving her face in Snape's face. "Because if you haven't noticed, almost everyone already hates you."  
  
There was a long moment, and Snape realized that she wasn't going to back down until he spoke. "You don't."  
  
The smile immediately ran away from her face. "Is that what this is about? You don't want me to find out who you are, because you are afraid I might hate you? Severus, I know you care for me," she said his given name without even thinking.  
  
That set him off. "You think you can come here and claim to know everything?!" he practically yelled.  
  
"I don't know everything, but I know enough. Like you, I know about death and pain. We have things in common. I may be young, but I'm not blind. I can see what others can't. I can see you. And Heaven forbid, I like what I see. Damn it! Why is it so hard for you to believe? That someone could see you, really see you ..." her voice dropped to a whisper, "and still be attracted to you."  
  
"You don't see all of me. You don't know every intimate detail of my life. You don't know me."  
  
"But I want to," she said forcing him to look at her. "I want to know your depths."  
  
Snape turned his back to her, his voice changing as he quoted something. "'People who comprehend a thing to its very depths rarely stay faithful to it forever. For they have brought its depths into the light of day-'"  
  
"And in the depths there is always much that is unpleasant to see.' Nietzsche," she finished, the snideness seeping into her tone.  
  
"How did you-?"  
  
"Please," she growled through gritted teeth. "You're not the only one who's well read. Besides, you and I both know that's bullshit. You could give me everything, and I would still be attracted to you."  
  
"Stop saying that," he growled, slamming his fist onto a desk.  
  
"What? That I'm attracted to you? Well I'm not going to. Because I am."  
  
"You're too young. You don't know what you want. You're not attracted to me."  
  
"Yes. I am. Do you really think that little of yourself? That someone like me couldn't ever be attracted to someone like you?"  
  
He opened his arms, leaving himself open. "What is there to be attracted to?"  
  
"Are you kidding me? What is there not? You ... you are so smart, and talented. My gosh. Everyone can see it. When you do spells ... And ... and you're powerful. You above all should know the attraction of power."  
  
He turned his back to DeAndry, no longer able to look at her. "Yes," he said sounding defeated as he grasped at his left arm. "But I also know the consequences of following after that power."  
  
"You're right. There has to be more. Like heart. And loyalty. Like the loyalty you have for Dumbledore, and your students." DeAndry tilted her head, her eyes bearing into his back. Finally with a steady hand, she took a few steps toward him and touched his shoulder.  
  
When he didn't move or say anything, she continued. "And passion." She grazed her fingers down his arm, wrapping her hand around his clenched fist. "There is so much passion in everything you do. The way you teach," her other hand snaked around his waist and she pressed her body against his back. "The way you make potions." Her body shook as she laughed slightingly. "Even the way you yell at your students."  
  
Snape sighed as DeAndry's left hand found its way into the front of his robes. He could lie to himself forever, but he really did want this. He really did want her.  
  
"And the way you touch me," she continued, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder blade. "You have more passion in a single kiss than in the entire being of anyone I have ever met."  
  
Under her hands, she could feel his muscles relax.  
  
"And I have never felt as much passion as when I kiss you." DeAndry smiled as she heard Snape's voice in her head. He had done it on purpose. He had let her read his thoughts.  
  
She closed her eyes relishing in the feel of his body against hers. "Let me have this break."  
  
"What?" He turned and faced her.  
  
"Christmas break," she said taking a step away from him. "Let me have this break. Let me have you, the whole break. No complaints. And then, after it's over, we're over."  
  
"Over?"  
  
"No questions asked. Because you are right." She turned away from him. "We can't continue this."  
  
Snape's weight shifted as he leaned toward her ear, and his hands rested on her hips. "Deal." His breath danced on the back of her neck. DeAndry moved slightly, and Snape's form swayed with her, pressing against her back.  
  
"What's this?" she said with a smile in her voice.  
  
"Hmmm?" it was a guttural sound, from deep within his throat.  
  
"Where is my ass hole of a professor?"  
  
"And where is my spoiled brat of a student?" His lips pressed against her neck, kissing her softly.  
  
She smiled, then said absently, "It's almost time for dinner."  
  
"How do you know?" he asked, laying another kiss on her jaw line.  
  
Twisting her arm behind her back, DeAndry reached into Snape's breast pocket underneath his robes, and was pleased when his chest rose as he took a deep breath. "See," she said holding up the old pocket watch for Snape to see.  
  
"You're right." His lips pressed against her flesh once more, catching the edge of her mouth.  
  
"I thought you said no more physical." DeAndry rolled her head, exposing more of her neck to the explores of Snape's mouth.  
  
"And I thought you said we have until after Christmas break."  
  
DeAndry pulled away from him, but his hand lingered on her waist until she was too far to touch. She spoke again with her back to him. "We really do need to go to dinner."  
  
"Yes we do," and hesitantly he moved, passing DeAndry.  
  
"You are going to regret it later, not stopping this today."  
  
"I know," he whispered, stopping with his hand on the door. "Dinner. I will go first. You have a reputation for being late." He pulled the door to the Potions room open. "And I do not." 


	12. Late Night Rendezvous

WARNING: This story is rated R (just to be safe) for language and sexual content.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Potterverse characters. They are owned by JK Rowling.  
  
DeAndry Harris, along with the story, though, are mine. Read but do not hurt.  
  
Timeline: During POA  
  
I've decided that those of you who read this story, and don't post reviews, need to (said with a big grin). You have no idea how jazzed I get when I receive new reviews. I live for them!!  
  
Anyway, I just wanted y'all to know that I haven't given up on this story, in fact, I have a great new plot twist that I will be introducing next chapter (I've even written most of it ... yey for me!) But I can't guarantee faster updates, I'm sorry. I have more homework than I have ever had in my entire life!! It's insane. I'm taking Psychology, Sociology, American History, and Speech. And even though it's only four classes ... I have a crap load of homework. But I am trying to spend more time on this story. Eventually I want to get writing more fan fics, and by the way, if you have any ideas, lemmie know.  
  
And another ploy to get you to read, AND REVIEW (subtle hint, huh) my other Snape story ... go ... read "First Time for Everything." It's good. Probably even better writing than this one (actually I'm almost positive it's better than this story). And go, read, review, and be happy!  
  
Yeah, enough of that mumbo jumbo crap, I hope you like! And please review!!!  
  
* * *  
  
Snape was perched behind his desk absently pulling apart pieces of bread that he had taken from dinner, while he read the last few pages of a book on Legilimency. He had read it hundreds of times when he was younger, but this was the first time in at least three years. The castle was quiet, the sounds of House Elves and the remaining occupants of the castle had died out hours ago. The only sound now, was the soothing boil of a potion across the room from him.  
  
Closing the book noisily, Snape sighed. He was foolish to think that there was something in the text that he had missed before. Pulling out the pocket watch that was given to him by his grandfather, he read the hands. Thirty-seven past three. He had been reading since he returned from dinner.  
  
His mind drifted to the meal, as uneventful as it was. The Headmaster had roped Professors Flitwick and McGonagal into a discussion on holiday dances. Snape had narrowly missed a question about a similar dance from his school days, when Professor Sprout spilled her pumpkin juice. He was overjoyed by the distraction. If there was anything he didn't want to discuss, it was dances from his school days.  
  
The only remaining students sat huddled at the end of the table laughing at a letter from the Weasley twins to DeAndry.  
  
Miss Harris, Snape corrected himself. He pinched the bridge of his nose bringing himself back to the present.  
  
With another sigh, he forced his disagreeing muscles to move. His body never approved of remaining stationary for long periods of time, which is why he often found himself prowling the halls at night. He stood allowing his spine to crack and pop as he did so.  
  
Replacing the book among the wall of others in his library, he froze hearing something just outside of the classroom. He wondered for a split second if it was the headmaster, but dismissed that thought just as quickly. Dumbledore never made his presence known, and most likely wouldn't be out this late anyway.  
  
As thoughts of Sirius Black flooded his mind, he staked toward the closed door of his room. But whoever was on the other side, reached the handle first. With a quick push from Snape's side, the door flew open.  
  
The darkhaired figure jumped, surprised. It was DeAndry.  
  
They both glared at each other for a moment, then Snape stepped aside allowing her entrance. He shut the door behind her.  
  
Slightly upset that she was startled, and caught, Snape figured, she turned to face him. She was pale, almost white, and a thin sheen of sweat covered her face.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Snape was the first to speak.  
  
"The truth?"  
  
"The truth."  
  
DeAndry looked relieved, as if she didn't have enough energy to come up with a lie as to why she was there. "I was coming to steal some ingredients from your stores."  
  
"Really?" he spoke, un-amused. "You are entirely too bold."  
  
Her hands found their way to her hips. "Subtlety has never been one of my strong suits."  
  
Without backing down, Snape made his way back to his desk. "What ingredients?"  
  
DeAndry didn't move from her spot, but she turned to face him. "Aconite, lovage, belladonna, and ginger."  
  
He was silent for a moment as he put the ingredients together in his head. She hadn't once considered that he wouldn't pick up what she wanted to brew.  
  
"You don't have ginger in your personal stores?"  
  
"Well, I do, but why waste mine when I could steal yours?"  
  
He bit back a dozen angry words; he wasn't in the mood for a fight. And for the moment he wanted more information as to why she was having such trouble with her powers. That was the only possible reason for that particular potion.  
  
"The store room is open," he finally said.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Snape closed his eyes listening to the slap of DeAndry's bare feet on the stone floor. He was making things complicated for himself.  
  
As if things weren't already complicated, he thought bitterly. But now he was having difficulties thinking of her as a student. It was harder when he wasn't teaching classes. And when she wasn't wearing her robes.  
  
He fought with himself and lost. He opened his eyes in time to see her remerging from his storeroom. She was wearing pajamas. Dark green silk pajamas.  
  
"She should have been a Slytherin."  
  
"What?" DeAndry asked. Snape looked up, realizing he had spoken that thought out loud.  
  
"Oh. I just ... You should have been a Slytherin."  
  
"You wish." She set out the ingredients she had collected on a free counter.  
  
"It would make things easier," he said under his breath.  
  
"Or more difficult." She began dividing out the ingredients. "I don't think I could pull off being Slytherin. I'm Gryffindor all the way."  
  
"Yes, thank you for reminding me of that."  
  
She chose not to respond. Instead she quickly mixed the potion and began to heat it. It was at a boil in no time. She added one more ingredient then poured her brew into a vile. Running over the ingredients of the potion she had just concocted in her head, she must have thought she was finished, for she grasped the vile tighter and raised it to her lips.  
  
Snape scoffed under his breath, but it was enough to stop her from taking the potion. She looked up at him.  
  
"Did I forget something?"  
  
Rising gracefully from his desk, he was over to her in no time. He swiftly captured the vile from her slightly shaking hands. He noticed this involuntary movement in her fingers, but decided not to comment on it. Instead he went for another criticism. "One would hope that you would choose to save the few remaining brains cells you have."  
  
"Yes, that was helpful," she snapped sarcastically.  
  
Snape smiled to himself. He enjoyed her when she was irritated. It made things easier.  
  
"So I'm forgetting something. What is it?"  
  
"Other than the fact that aconite can be fatal if ingested without the counter agent?"  
  
DeAndry rolled her eyes, realizing her error. "Hellebore."  
  
But Snape was already filling a dropper with the blue liquid. "How many drops?" he asked without looking her straight on.  
  
"Always the teacher," she said distractedly. "Twelve."  
  
Snape kept her in the corner of his vision as her eyelids went heavy and she began to massage her temples.  
  
"Have you spoke with the Headmaster about this?"  
  
"I don't think this is anything to concern him with," she spoke through gritted teeth. Snape saw the muscle in her jaw twitch.  
  
"How long?"  
  
"Since I was bitten by the spider." She looked up from her hands, and shot a rueful look his way. He was amazed at how her demeanor had changed from earlier that day. She was really in pain.  
  
"You know you can ask for help," he said softly as he handed the vile back to her.  
  
She took it harshly, almost spilling it. "I did ask for help. Le Bouclier D'Empêchement, remember? And we all saw how well that worked out."  
  
Snape turned his head, slightly embarrassed. "I can still help you if you wish."  
  
"No, Dumbledore said that Lupin is feeling better. I'll just go ask him." Tipping her head back, she downed the vile. "Blaaa," she gasped shivering. Handing the empty vile back to Snape, she scrunched her face, gasping for air a couple times, then she sneezed. She shook her head. "Excuse me."  
  
Snape ignored her reaction to the potion. He was more concerned with why she was taking it. "What exactly has caused you to break several rules to come and take this?"  
  
She looked up at him, her eyes dark, mostly from lack of sleep. She was too tired to not to simply tell him the truth. "My head was hurting. I could hear voices, and I couldn't stop them."  
  
"You were reading thoughts?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
"I have something that might help." He pulled the book he had been reading earlier.  
  
"No. That won't do anything. It's different than Legilimency." She took a seat behind one of the desks.  
  
"Will it get worse when the rest of the students come back from Holidays?"  
  
"I don't know," she answered honestly. "But I do know that it's harder to block out simple things. Like people who think the same way they talk. Like the house elves. That's what's bothering me tonight. It's harder to read, easier to block, people who think in emotions and images, which most people do." There was silence for a long moment, until DeAndry laughed silently. "If someone were to read my mind, would they also be able to read everyone else's that I'm reading?"  
  
Snape held up the Legilimency book that he still had in his hands. "We could find out."  
  
"No thank you." DeAndry stood. "I don't like the idea of you rummaging around in here," she said thumping herself on her temple with her index finger. "Besides, you won't show me yours, so why should I show you mine?"  
  
"What are you hiding?" honestly curious.  
  
"Just because you're hiding something, doesn't mean I am." When he didn't respond, she made her way to the door. "I need sleep. And so do probably you." She stopped at the door, and her eyes fell on the cauldron that had been boiling since before she had arrived. "I'll be back in the morning to help with the project." She sighed. "Goodnight."  
  
Snape only nodded his head in response. She left quietly into the dark hallway of the dungeon. She was right. He did need sleep. 


	13. The Pink Haired Menace

WARNING: This story is rated R (just to be safe) for language and sexual content.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Potterverse characters. They are owned by JK Rowling.  
  
DeAndry Harris, along with the story, though, are mine. Read but do not hurt.  
  
Timeline: During POA  
  
So, today, as I was sitting on my parents' couch watching Family Matters (don't ask) and writing a new Snape related fan fiction when I got an instant message from a certain fan telling me that this month will be the six-month mark from the last time I updated. How pitiful is that?  
  
So I decided to give you guys another chapter. Hope you like!  
  
And if y'all are curious as to what I've been up to, I've been posting some of my going ons in the journal of my deviant art account: britt- lipy.deviantart.com check it out!  
  
Yeah, enough of that mumbo jumbo crap, I hope you like! And please review!!!  
  
* * *  
  
Despite the thick stone and draperies of Hogwarts castle, the sun always managed to creep into the confines of the bedchambers. The winter morning rays reflected off the snow that had accumulated over the night, making the shine even harder to bear. Especially during the few early hours following dawn.  
  
The figure in the bed was completely covered by heavy blankets, and a fur thrown on top for good measure. The fire had long ago burned itself to exhaustion, making the bed that much more inviting to simply stay there for the duration of the morning.  
  
Most of the remaining members of the staff and students had difficulties forcing themselves awake on Christmas break, but for this individual, the events of the previous night had left a haze that even the sun was having difficulties cutting through.  
  
It had been five days since almost all of the students left the school for the holiday. Four until the next full moon. That meant that this morning was Christmas Eve.  
  
Professor Remus Lupin sighed and forced himself to shove the blankets off of his lean form. He kicked his legs over the side of the bed, ignoring the sensation of the chill seeping into his flesh from the stone of the floor.  
  
Lupin grasped for his wand, lying carelessly on his nightstand and pointed it in the general direction of the fireplace. "Incendio," he spoke with a raspy edge to his voice. The fire lit immediately, filling the room with newfound warmth.  
  
Shrugging into the shabby robes he had been wearing the night before, he finally gave up his bed, and moved into the living area of his rooms. He had barely gotten a kettle of water over the fire and there was a knock on his door.  
  
Lupin smiled. There was only one person it could be at this hour.  
  
He was right. Standing just outside of his door was a long white beard that seemed to mold into the man's hair. And underneath bushy eyebrows of the same color was a sparkle in eyes that looked much too wide and alert than the hour of the morning should permit.  
  
"Good morning Remus."  
  
"Albus." And as if on cue, the high-pitched whistle of the younger man's kettle sang through the air. "Would you care for some tea?"  
  
"Sounds lovely," Dumbledore accepted with a smile.  
  
As steam rose from his cup, Lupin attempted to be patient with the Headmaster. He always had a way of covering every subject under the sun before he actually arrived at his point. Lupin was sure the older man was there to ask about the progress he and Professor Snape had the night before, but he would have to wait.  
  
"Remus, do you ever plan on marrying?"  
  
The question came out of nowhere and had surprised Lupin, rendering him speechless for a few moments.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
Dumbledore turned his attention from some trinkets on the mantle to face Lupin. "Marry? Find a nice girl and settle down, maybe having some children of your own?"  
  
Lupin stared at him, attempting to find a beginning, or even an end to this line of thinking. "I don't know. I guess I've never really put that much thought into it. There has always been a rather large obstacle in my life. 'Hello my name is Remus Lupin and I'm a werewolf. Would you like to go out for coffee?' never struck me as a great pickup line."  
  
Dumbledore smiled, but there was a sort of sadness behind his eyes. He took a seat across from Lupin. "Did you have any luck with Professor Snape last night?"  
  
There was the conversation Lupin was prepared for. He chose to graze over the other topic. "I'm not a hundred percent sure. It took a lot out of me last night, but we won't know for sure until the full moon. Professor Snape seems to believe it might work. Although, I think he has some hesitations using a student to assist."  
  
"I believe Miss Harris is competent enough to help. Do you have any hesitations?"  
  
"I know she is talented. In fact, my only worry is she just might be smart enough to derive what she is helping to brew."  
  
"Severus is taking every precaution to ensure discretion on this particular project. And besides, even if she did find out, I have faith that she would do the right thing and keep the information to herself. Despite her tendency to get in trouble," Dumbledore smiled at that, "she is a decent young woman."  
  
"Yes, I suppose you're right."  
  
Having gotten the information he came for, Dumbledore relaxed in his chair and took a sip of the hot tea. "So how are those two working together?"  
  
It was Lupin's turn to smile. "I have never in all my years of knowing Severus seen anyone so matched with him in an argument."  
  
Dumbledore chuckled. "I believe she can learn a great deal from him, mostly patience and discipline."  
  
"And he could use a few lessons on loosing up."  
  
"Then both of them will lean a great deal from one another."  
  
Lupin nodded, but couldn't help adding, "Either that, or they'll kill each other in the process."  
  
*****  
  
It had been five days since he had made a deal with DeAndry Harris. A deal in which he might as well have sold his soul to the devil himself, if he still had his soul to sell.  
  
She was right, of course. He regretted not stopping whatever it was they were doing that day.  
  
But every time he had that witch's skin beneath his fingers he could forget. Forget who he was, and who she was. Forget his debt. Forget his duty. And most importantly, forget the sin that pumped through his veins.  
  
When he touched her, everything was right, painfully right. He would give everything he knew to get drunk in her touch, feeling that uncomfortable pull in his abdomen. And he hated himself for it.  
  
"Professor Snape!"  
  
Snape shook his head, realizing that this wasn't the first time his name had been called.  
  
"What?" he snapped, managing to make it seem he was deep in thought with something other than the woman who was addressing him.  
  
DeAndry couldn't help but smirk. "I asked you if it would be all right if I ran up to my dormitory and grabbed a book. This won't be done for another two hours," she said motioning to the cauldron in front of her.  
  
"If you hurry. This potion needs constant attention. If it gets too hot—"  
  
"I'll be right back," she cut him off, already on her way out of the door.  
  
Snape sighed. The same time the previous year, the complete disrespect that DeAndry had just shown would have been severely punished. She was becoming far too bold.  
  
Or perhaps, he was becoming far too lax. He pinched the bridge of his nose to the point of pain, and sighed.  
  
"Bloody hell."  
  
He shook himself mentally, and settled for just staring off into the boiling potion, waiting for DeAndry to return.  
  
Only a few minutes later the door opened. He didn't bother to look up from the potion.  
  
"Bring me the vial on the counter," he barked.  
  
"Um ..."  
  
Snape's gaze shot up. The woman in the room was not his student. She was just slightly taller than DeAndry was, but thinner. She wore bright purple robes and almost clashing, her hair a deep pink color, sticking out at all angles. She was reaching for one of the vials on the counter.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" he snapped.  
  
The girl jumped and the vial slipped from her long fingers. It crashed on the floor leaving a dark blue stain on the stone floor.  
  
"Incompetent imbecile!"  
  
The woman recoiled and winced at the harshness of his words.  
  
He smiled inwardly. He had long since lost his power to intimidate DeAndry Harris. It was reassuring to see he hadn't completely lost his touch.  
  
"I-I'm s-s-sooo sorry," the pink haired woman sputtered. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a cloth further back on the counter. She grabbed it, planning on using the fabric to clean up the mess, but her arm caught the edge of a wooden stand holding jars of miscellaneous items.  
  
She watched as in slow motion the stand fell from the counter and landed next to the broken vial, shattering the jars. The woman gasped and bent to catch what was too late to catch, and her rear end hit a cauldron spilling the contents.  
  
Snape just gaped in shock. He had never in his entire life seen some so clumsy. And this pink haired menace was destroying his dungeon.  
  
The classroom door opened once again and this time it was DeAndry, book in hand. "Tonks!"  
  
"You know this monstrosity?" Snape had finally found his voice?  
  
"Monstrosity?" DeAndry frowned at Snape. "Professor," she scolded.  
  
DeAndry wrapped her arms around the pink haired woman hugging her. "How've you been?"  
  
And the excited high-pitched chatter filled the potions room. Snape could feel himself growing even more irritated by the second.  
  
"Dumbledore told me you'd be working down here. What are you doing?" The woman had turned her attention to the few bottles and jars on the table that she hadn't broken.  
  
"Well," DeAndry began to explain. "We're working on a potion that—"  
  
"Don't touch anything!" Snape growled, grabbing the woman's hand. "You have already ruined the potion. Months of preparation. Who do you think you are?"  
  
"A highly trained soon to be Auror."  
  
The attention turned to the open door of the classroom. Headmaster Dumbledore's usual twinkle was shining more brilliant than ever. Behind him Professor Lupin smiled brightly.  
  
"Remus, this is Nymphadora Tonks," Dumbledore introduced.  
  
"Albus! You do that just to annoy me, don't you?" but the woman couldn't help but smile.  
  
Dumbledore smirked his response.  
  
"Please, call me Tonks," she extended her hand toward Lupin. He took it willingly.  
  
"Remus Lupin."  
  
"Remus, I've heard about you. Professor Dumbledore talks about you all the time," she tittered.  
  
Lupin raised an eyebrow and shot Dumbledore a look.  
  
"Well," Dumbledore interrupted before a comment was made. "I think you two should be heading off. I'm sure you want to be in London before lunch."  
  
"London?" DeAndry asked confused.  
  
"Oh, sorry," Tonks said hitting herself in the forehead. "I didn't get a chance to ask." She turned to DeAndry. "I've been given permission to kidnap you for Christmas Eve. I thought we could go back to my flat in London."  
  
"Are you kidding? That would be—" but DeAndry stopped short, remembering her project with Snape, and the deal they had made. She turned to catch his eye. "I mean, would it be all right with you, Professor Snape?"  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence where, for a moment, DeAndry thought he was going to say no. All the attention turned toward the Potions Master.  
  
Tonks leaned against a desk, trying to stay out of the way, when she bumped a vial. It wobbled and fell noisily.  
  
"Oh for Merlin's sake," Snape finally broke the silence. "Please leave, and take her with you!"  
  
The two professors lead the way out of the dungeons up to the Entrance Hall, followed by the young ladies, leaving Professor Snape to deal with the mess left in Tonk's wake.  
  
DeAndry looked down at her school robes that were already getting wrinkly from the morning's wear. "Well, if we're going to be in London, I should probably get a change of clothes."  
  
"Very well," Dumbledore agreed. "And when you're finished, come up to my office. You may use the Floo from my fireplace."  
  
DeAndry smiled. "Thank you," she said, meaning more for the opportunity to go to London than the use of his Floo.  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
"Well, it was nice meeting you, Tonks," Lupin said, extending his hand again.  
  
Tonks took it gratefully. "You know, if you wanted to join us, there's always room for one more." She flashed him a toothy grin.  
  
Lupin averted his eyes for a moment, and DeAndry was sure she saw his cheeks flush. "Thank you very much for the offer, but I have some prior engagements to attend to. But I'm sure this won't be the last time we'll have the opportunity to see one another."  
  
And with some quick good byes, the girls left the two older men and were off to the Gryffindor Tower.  
  
"What was that all about?" DeAndry asked once they were in the privacy of her dorm room.  
  
"What?" Tonks asked, honestly clueless.  
  
"Oh come on, the way you were looking at Professor Lupin ... Could you be any more obvious?"  
  
Tonks blushed and giggled a little bit. "He was cute, okay?"  
  
"Well, I would have to say that you left a lasting first impression. With both Lupin and Snape."  
  
"I feel bad. I honestly didn't mean do break anything."  
  
"Don't worry, it's nothing Snape can't deal with." 


	14. note

i have to apologize to everyone for the horrifically long wait on all of my fics. my computer decided share a wonderful little virus to all of my documents, which included my word documents. fortunately, i was able to print everything off before i was forced to destroy everything. my computer is still very shady, so i hesitate to save anything on it. but seeing as how i am a poor college student, i'm not sure when i will be able to get a new computer. i have been physically writing stuff the good old fashioned way with a pen and paper, but i can't tell you when i will be able to post anything. i am going to perhaps use my roommate's computer and start saving stuff there, but i will have to get her permission first. so to make a long thing less long, i am so sorry for the wait this causing everyone, but i promise, because i have actually been writing, that when i start to post again it will be a lot.  
i love you guys, and God bless,  
britt


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